THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 12, 1995 TAG: 9510120478
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
Would a Canadian Football League team succeed at Foreman Field?
Two investment groups have looked at the 59-year-old, 25,400-seat stadium on Old Dominion University's campus in the last two years and said no. The area needs a new stadium, one unlikely to be built in the near future, before the CFL can succeed, they said.
But Bernie Glieberman might not let the area's stadium problems stand in his way. He has told area officials he might move his Shreveport Pirates to Foreman Field without the promise of a new stadium.
Foreman Field underwent a major renovation in the 1980s, but lacks the amenities of most modern stadiums. There's not enough parking, no luxury boxes and inadequate concessions stands and restroom facilities.
Glieberman's potential problems would be compounded by the fact that ODU owns Foreman Field. Unlike area cities, ODU will not consider providing the Pirates financial concessions to relocate.
ODU athletic director Jim Jarrett, who has met twice with Glieberman, said he will offer the Pirates the same deal ODU receives for men's basketball games at Scope. Though the terms of the Scope lease aren't known, it is known that Norfolk keeps all concessions and parking revenues, in addition to rent, for ODU games.
``Within the limits of what we can do, we're willing to work with them, and the scheduling probably can work,'' he said.
But with ODU field hockey, the Oyster Bowl and Norfolk State football all receiving priority in scheduling at Foreman Field, the Pirates might have to accept some undesirable dates.
Mo Whitlow, a member of the Sports Authority of Hampton Roads and a former Portsmouth City Councilman, says Foreman Field can be a temporary home for the CFL at best. The area needs to build a stadium if the Pirates come to Hampton Roads, he said.
``The CFL isn't major league,'' he said. ``But neither are the (Norfolk) Tides and they are certainly a major asset.''
The city of Norfolk constructed the 12,000-seat Harbor Park for the Tides three years ago. ``I'm in favor of a regional stadium,'' he said. ``We should build a smaller stadium, but one large enough for the CFL and Oyster Bowl and design it so that it's expandable.''
Whitlow said a new stadium would likely serve as home for the Hampton Roads Mariners soccer team, the Oyster Bowl, concerts and some Norfolk State football games.
But the catch is the price - sports authority officials have done preliminary surveys of stadiums in other areas and estimate that a 35,000- or 40,000-seat stadium with luxury boxes, adequate parking and convenient highway access would cost upwards of $40 million.
It could be built by the sports authority with bonds backed by area cities. However, as with virtually all public stadiums, it would lose money.
A study by the sports authority several years ago identified the best sites for a stadium in the following order: downtown Norfolk, the Tidewater Community College Frederick Campus in Suffolk, the West Norfolk section of Portsmouth and the Bowers Hill section of Chesapeake. Harbor Park now sits on the downtown Norfolk site. by CNB