THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 30, 1994 TAG: 9407300244
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLISE LYLES, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Organizers of Minister Louis Farrakhan's appearance here tonight complained Friday that Scope officials had hampered efforts to sell out the event by refusing to issue tickets in large numbers to the event's sponsors.
A city official denied allegations of attempting to sabotage Farrakhan's speech. He said Scope had issued 2,500 complimentary tickets to the sponsors. So far, about 2,315 tickets have been sold at $10 each. Scope capacity for the event is 7,500 seats.
The leader of the Nation of Islam black Muslim sect is scheduled to speak at Scope at 7 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m.
Members of the Hampton Roads Coalition Against Violence say they have invited Farrakhan to a ``Stop the Violence'' rally to kick off their campaign against black-on-black violence.
``We are clearly being treated unfairly,'' said James F. Gay, one of nearly a dozen members of the coalition who attended an afternoon press conference at Muhammad's Mosque No. 57 on Lafayette Boulevard.
``We expressed our disappointment and surprise with the city for only making a limited number of tickets available to us,'' he said in a telephone interview after the news conference.
Gay said Scope had initially issued 100 tickets to event sponsors, and that another block of 100 was issued after coalition members complained.
In a written statement released several hours after the news conference, John Rhamstine, assistant director of civic facilities, said it was against city policy to issue more than 100 consignment tickets directly to special events sponsors. Tickets are sold primarily through 40 Ticketmaster outlets.
Rhamstine said that he thought the city had arrived at an agreement with coalition representatives on Thursday who had expressed concerns about poor ticket sales. In a meeting, organizers were given 2,500 complimentary tickets for a minimal 25-cent surcharge per ticket, Rhamstine said.
``It was the understanding of the city that this was an acceptable arrangement to all parties,'' Rhamstine's statement said. ``We were quite frankly surprised by the subsequent news conference.
``We commend and support the message behind the `Stop the Violence' rally,'' he said.
``We're going to fill the auditorium,'' Gay said. ``But at this late date, even though we have more tickets now, we can't get them up to Richmond and Washington'' to sell.
Farrakhan's cadre of bow-tied, conservative-suited security men have sold tickets throughout black neighborhoods in Hampton Roads in recent weeks.
Tickets can also be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets at Norfolk State University, Self Improvement Education Center on West 35th Street, and other locations. by CNB