ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, October 19, 1996 TAG: 9610210070
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JON CAWLEY STAFF WRITER
Smokers weathered the storm Friday night as they complied with a new smoking ban allowing them to light up only in designated areas - outside the Roanoke Civic Center.
The ban was inaugurated at the Roanoke Express' first home game of the season, against the Huntington (W.Va.) Blizzard. Opinions fell mostly along predictable lines: Smokers generally did not like being sent outside; nonsmokers breathed a little easier.
Regulated smoking is not new at the civic center. Smoking in the coliseum has been forbidden for years, with special areas set up on the concourse for cigarette breaks.
Prior to this year, civic center management believed a ban would be too hard to enforce, especially during concerts.
However, with few hard rock concerts at the center, crowds are easier to control, said Bob Chapman, manager of the civic center.
"We ask people not to smoke," Chapman said. "If someone refuses, we may be more forceful at that point."
Forceful measures seemed unnecessary Friday night, as smokers complied with the policy.
Pam Smith of Roanoke, a smoker who once quit for three years, said she doesn't mind the new rule. "It's not bad. I know what it's like to be around [smoke]. That's the way it is at work, so I don't mind."
Dixie Saunders of Roanoke County echoed Smith's sentiments - she has to smoke outside at work, also. "I have no problem with it at all. It's probably better and doesn't bother people. A lot of smoke inside bothers me, too."
Others obeyed the ban more grudgingly.
"It's stupid. Everybody else hollers about discrimination; now we should start hollering. I've been kicked out of better places than this," said Billy Thurston of Roanoke. "If they are going to make you walk outside to smoke, they should make you walk outside to drink. We're being treated like adolescents."
Some smokers thought the biggest impact of the ban would be in lost business for the civic center.
"We love hockey, but we hate this," Teresa McIntire of Roanoke said. "Come wintertime, it'll be a big consideration [whether or not to attend games]."
"I think it'll drive away the rock concerts," said Jason Davis of Roanoke. "If KISS had come a month later, I don't think as many people would've been here."
Roger Marcum also won't be coming to as many games this year. "It's good for the nonsmokers, but they make everyone else suffer," the Roanoke resident said.
But most nonsmokers Chapman has heard from approve of the ban, the civic center manager said.
"I think it's great. I'll probably come to more games now. It's a better atmosphere, and the hallways aren't as crowded. It's nice to walk in a smoke-free environment," Wayne Rogers of Roanoke said.
Brian Hall of Roanoke, a smoker, said nonsmokers' rights should outweigh smokers' because smoke cannot be contained to one area.
Last year, "we tried our very best to have a smoking area separated [from nonsmokers]," Chapman said. "Smoke would travel through the vents and doors into the coliseum."
Perhaps those most pleased are the employees who work at the souvenir stands on the concourse.
"People are real happy about it. It used to be that when I walked from one corner to the other, I felt like I had smoked a pack myself, and I have to walk back and forth a lot. Everyone who worked these corners complained. A couple of people would always ask to be reassigned," said Paul Denney, an Express souvenir merchandiser.
Oh, yes: The Express won, 5-4.
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY\Staff. Hockey fans bear the cold, wet weatherby CNBFriday to light up outside the now-smokeless Roanoke Civic Center.
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