THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 9, 1995 TAG: 9512090479
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Long : 104 lines
Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim on Friday asked area cities and counties to help fund $400,000 needed to make Foreman Field ready for the Canadian Football League Pirates. In return, Fraim pledged to share admissions tax revenues from Pirates games with those localities.
Fraim also said at a monthly meeting of local government leaders that Norfolk and the Greater Norfolk Corporation will fund a study to determine whether area businesses would purchase enough luxury boxes to make a 20,000-seat indoor arena economically feasible.
The non-profit Greater Norfolk Corporation supports economic development in the city.
Fraim said regional cooperation on Foreman Field renovation expenditures could be a prelude to cooperation on funding other sports facilities, including an arena and a new football stadium.
It is expected Fraim will drop his request that the team adopt Norfolk as its name if other localities help pay for the renovation. Hampton Roads or Virginia would then be the Pirates' likely moniker.
The Pirates, who have moved from Shreveport, La., to Hampton Roads, have asked Norfolk to spend up to $400,000 on improvements to locker rooms and press facilities. Sources say the City Council probably will agree to finance the renovation if other cities don't contribute, but only if regional leaders agree they want the CFL in Hampton Roads.
While stressing that he does not speak for the City Council, Fraim nonetheless said he urged Pirates owner Bernie Glieberman this week to seek regional approval for the team.
``I suggested to them (the Pirates) that they convene a meeting with elected leadership of all area localities,'' he said. ``Mr. Glieberman seemed to understand that the council felt that (regional approval) was necessary. I've offered to convene an area-wide meeting and to do it quickly. But I'm waiting to hear back from them.''
Pirates president Lonie Glieberman said he plans to call Fraim Monday to request that meeting.
``It's a modest proposal,'' Fraim said of the Foreman Field renovation. ``They've offered a guarantee if something were to happen to the league. I know there is some interest in the governor's office about the CFL.
``But we want to explore whether there's an interest in regional funding, a coming together, even if it's in a small way.
``Do our friends in other localities want us to do this? Is this something the region wants?''
Some area leaders reacted with caution on the Pirates and enthusiasm on the arena study.
``Personally, I would support further study of the arena,'' Chesapeake Mayor William E. Ward said. ``I think the area certainly has the potential to support that.''
But said Hampton Mayor James Eason of his city helping to fund the Foreman Field renovation: ``We haven't had a chance to discuss it yet. It wouldn't be unheard of. This group came together on the proposed speedway in Isle of Wight County some years ago. The communities responded well to that, but it's premature to say that would happen with the CFL.''
The speedway project failed after NASCAR declined to give the municipalities involved a guarantee of race dates.
Fraim this week asked Norfolk development director Bob Smithwick to begin negotiations with other cities about the Pirates. Smithwick said the initial response from other development directors was not positive.
``The question is, do we consider the Canadian Football League to be major league,'' Smithwick said. ``And my counterparts feel it is not.''
He said before approving any renovations to Foreman Field, area leaders should decide whether they are willing to spend $50 million or more later this decade to build a new stadium, something CFL officials say is necessary for the Pirates to remain in Hampton Roads.
``If it was my money, I'd want to know the answer to that question first,'' he said.
Fraim said the Norfolk arena study will solve the only major question left unanswered by a recently completed study by HOK Sports and Brailsford Associates for the Sports Authority of Hampton Roads. That study urged area governments to build an arena to house an NBA or NHL team, large conventions and concerts.
The arena would cost upward of $140 million and likely would be adjacent to Harbor Park in downtown Norfolk. Leaders of some area civic leagues gave the report a hearty endorsement last weekend.
``I frankly think there needs to be some more research into whether this region will support a new arena,'' said Fraim, who recently attended a convention in Phoenix during which he toured America West Arena, home of the Phoenix Suns.
``There were 64 or 65 luxury boxes there that rent for $60,000 and up. Luxury boxes are the key to the success of arenas in the 1990s.''
Fraim said the city recently commissioned a study similar to the HOK report. ``The conclusion reached was very similar,'' he said. ``But both asked the question, is there enough depth to the corporate interest here to support luxury boxes?
``We need an answer to that question'' before an arena seriously can be proposed.
Smithwick said his department has a consultant ready to begin the study as soon as the city approves funding.
``It's also time to consider what this group wants to do with regional funding of an arena,'' Fraim added.
``I'm asking for your feedback on that issue.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Paul Fraim
by CNB