THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, August 14, 1994                TAG: 9408130118
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON    PAGE: 09   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   51 lines

SOCCER REP MAKES PLEA FOR STADIUM RESORT AREA ADVISORY COMMISSION ASKED TO ENDORSE REQUEST FOR $2.5 MILLION FROM CITY.

The Hampton Roads Soccer Council wants a $2.5 million loan from the city to build an 18,500-seat, tournament-quality stadium at Princess Anne Park.

Michael Barrett, a soccer council spokesman, asked Thursday for a Resort Area Advisory Commission endorsement of the request.

Haste is crucial in building the facility to provide a new home field for the Hampton Roads Hurricanes, a recently formed professional team, he said.

Barrett wants the city to fork over the cash and build the stadium, then lease it to the soccer organization for use for major professional and amateur games.

The city would recoup its investment through tax revenues that are generated through various year-round professional and youth soccer events. They include the yearly Columbus Day tournament, Barrett said.

``These tournaments bring in incredible numbers of people,'' he said. ``These are family games. This year the Columbus Day tournament brought in 287 teams - 260 were from out of town.

``The revenue generated was $1.7 million, resulting in local taxes of $42,000. With four tournaments we hope to raise $160,000 in taxes next year.''

Barrett pleaded with advisory commission members to endorse the project to provide a home field for the Hurricanes.

``If we don't act, I feel strongly that we're going to lose them,'' said Barrett, explaining that Richmond and Northern Virginia are interested in accommodating a professional team like the Hurricanes.

Advisory commission members were hesitant to make a solid commitment on financing. The hangup was the potential source.

The commission has oversight of a $93 million Tourism Growth Development Fund, which was activated two years ago to pay for construction of priority projects, such as the expansion of the Virginia Marine Science Museum and the Pavilion Convention Center, and construction of a 15,000- to 20,000-seat amphitheater and five or six new public golf courses.

``We just spent 18 months trying to figure out how to pay for the (hurricane protection) sea wall,'' said commissioner Eric Schwartz. ``And the city raided TGIF for $40 million to pay for it.

The commission decided to delay a vote on Barrett's request for a month to study other potential funding sources for the soccer stadium. by CNB