THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 4, 1995 TAG: 9504040450
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
The Washington Redskins finally took a much anticipated major step towards becoming Maryland's team Monday by announcing that they are moving their 1995 training camp to Frostburg, Md., and Frostburg State University.
At the same time, team owner Jack Kent Cooke announced that he has abandoned hopes of building a new stadium adjacent to Laurel Race Course in Maryland, but is considering at least one other venue in Prince George's County, Md., near USAir Arena.
Norv Turner's second training camp as coach of the Redskins will begin July 20 and run until the middle of August. No terms of the agreement with Frostburg State were made public, but sources within the Redskins confirmed that it was for one year only. The Redskins trained the previous 33 seasons in Carlisle Pa., on the campus of Dickinson College.
As part of the opening ceremonies welcoming the Redskins to Frostburg, there will be a reception at the Historic Cumberland Railroad Depot for players, coaches and fans. All will be invited to board a Western Maryland Railroad train that will take them to Frostburg for the first time.
Frostburg is approximately 120 miles from Redskin Park in Ashburn, Va., about a 6-hour drive from Hampton Roads. That is the same amount of driving time it took from Hampton Roads to Carlisle.
Originally, Cooke agreed to relocate training camp to Maryland as an inducement to the state to help him build a 78,000-seat stadium in Laurel. But opposition to his plan by citizens and Gov. Parris N. Glendening apparently was too much for him to overcome.
The Washington Times has reported that Cooke is considering three other sites, all in Prince George's County. Presently, the most appealing may be a 300-acre tract of land that has been earmarked for a golf course and recreation center. However, County Council member Marvin F. Wilson has recently proposed that 100 acres of the land be devoted to the rec center, the other 200 acres turned over to the Redskins.
The council is expected to vote on that proposal today.
The land in Wilson's proposal is located inside the Washington beltway and is near a proposed Metro subway station.
However, Walter Lynch, Redskins' stadium project manager, told The Washington Post Sunday that Cooke has not yet fully ruled out considering sites in Northern Virginia, or Maryland's Montgomery and Howard counties. Lynch estimated that Cooke is appraising about a dozen locations for the stadium, which would carry his name. ILLUSTRATION: STAFF MAP
by CNB