THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510130174
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Bill Leffler
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Before another 3,500-seat stadium is built at the new Norcom High School, it might be in the interest of the city for officials to meet with the Sports Authority of Hampton Roads.
It's just possible that Portsmouth might get in on the ground floor of serving as the future home base for the Canadian Football League that is considering locating in this area.
And, maybe then, an expansion to even bigger and better things.
The owner of the Shreveport Pirates in the CFL is looking into relocating at Foreman Field. The Norfolk stadium, owned by Old Dominion University, would serve as a temporary home field.
A stadium study about 10 years ago by the Sports Authority listed one site in Portsmouth - the Cox property in West Norfolk - among four it considered the best for a regional stadium.
Another site was the Frederick campus of Tidewater Community College in Suffolk.
Portsmouth attorney Mo Whitlow, a former city councilman, is a member of the Sports Authority and feels a new stadium would be a necessity if the Shreveport team does settle in this area.
``Until we have a major user, it would not be feasible to build a stadium,'' pointed out Whitlow. ``But we could start with a 30,000-seat stadium that could be expanded.
``One big plus on the Tidewater Community College location would be if the state would donate the land. That would be a significant saving.''
Whitlow said the earlier stadium studies showed one advantage in building at these sites is proximity to the interstates.
``It would be much more convenient for Peninsula residents to come to these places rather than go to Virginia Beach,'' he said.
Whitlow said he was aware that the Canadian Football League ``is not a major league.
``But it would be a nice addition to the sports activities we now have in South Hampton Roads.''
Whitlow said the Canadian League has an ESPN contract and is negotiating with a major network.
City officials might realize the other opportunities that exist from building a regional stadium instead of a carbon-copy of the Churchland stadium, which is not even large enough to hold high school regional and state playoffs.
With three state championship high school football teams in recent years, Portsmouth deserves a chance to have a stadium where these champions can perform.
The regional stadium could be used each Friday night for high school football. This would eliminate the need for Thursday or Saturday games at Churchland, where all three city schools now play.
It could bring regional and state track meets to South Hampton Roads.
Undoubtedly the Fish Bowl, long a fixture at Lawrence Stadium and now played in Norfolk, could return to the city.
For years the Portsmouth Sports Club brought in an annual college football game. The club would be excited about the possibility of doing it again. by CNB