THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 18, 1996 TAG: 9601180558
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Long : 118 lines
Old Dominion University appeared to pound the final nail in the coffin on the Canadian Football League in Hampton Roads Wednesday, but the owners of the CFL's Pirates vowed to fight on.
ODU athletic director Jim Jarrett said he terminated negotiations with the Pirates over a lease to ODU's Foreman Field. ``It has become obvious that there are too many hurdles to overcome with regard to the Pirates leasing Foreman Field,'' he said.
The 25,600-seat facility is the only area stadium capable of housing the CFL team.
ODU's decision came one day after the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach jointly announced they would not fund $400,000 of renovations to Foreman Field requested by the Pirates.
Officials from both cities also made it clear they don't want the CFL in Hampton Roads, saying they would rather the area unite to build a 20,000-seat arena to attract an NBA or NHL team.
Pirates president Lonie Glieberman, who relocated the team from Shreveport, La., to Hampton Roads in mid-November, said he and other team officials will work behind the scenes to win what seems to be an unwinnable battle.
``You get one more play in the CFL when the clock goes to zero,'' he said. ``We have one last play left. We're going to try one last pass. It's not over yet.''
The Pirates got an apparent boost Wednesday morning when members of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce repeated their support for the team and began lobbying ODU officials to renew negotiations. The Pirates were in part recruited to Hampton Roads by chamber officials.
Sources say ODU officials briefly wavered and huddled much of the day before issuing a midafternoon statement from Jarrett.
ODU president James V. Koch late Wednesday confirmed Jarrett's announcement that the school would abide by the decisions of the two cities.
``I would need to hear from (Norfolk) Mayor Paul Fraim, I need to hear from (Virginia Beach) Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, that this is worth doing,'' Koch said. ``It seems to me they (the cities) made it fairly clear . . . that this is not a priority.''
Koch said a phone call from Gov. George F. Allen, who has expressed an interest in the Pirates, might change his mind. ``Obviously, that would be another person we would listen to with great respect,'' he said.
But Ken Stroupe, Allen's press secretary, seemed to douse any hope for the Pirates.
``Gov. Allen has always maintained that any economic development project would have to be supported by the localities,'' he said.
Glieberman and his father, team owner Bernie Glieberman; coach Forrest Gregg; executive vice president Bill Haase; John Ritchie, chief financial officer of Glieberman's construction business; and chamber officials met for nearly two hours Wednesday night in downtown Norfolk, emerging grim-faced but hopeful.
Lonie Glieberman restated an 11th-hour offer made Tuesday by his father to personally fund the $400,000 renovations.
``If that's the holdup, we will wipe that issue away,'' he said. ``We'll do the things to make the stadium satisfactory for the CFL and will not ask for anything, not tax abatements or anything.''
Added Haase: ``We're not going to make any hasty decisions because we still believe in the market. If there's a way to make it work here, we're going to find it.''
Bernie Glieberman, who hurriedly flew to Norfolk from his Detroit home Wednesday morning, expressed shock and surprise at the decisions by the two cities.
``If somebody had said two weeks ago or even a week ago that they had questions about the economic viability of the team, we could have presented information that would have answered all of their questions,'' he said.
``But nobody said that. Until last night, we didn't know anybody objected to anything. We could have answered all of their objections but we never got the chance.
``Our telemarketers say they've gotten a tremendous response and are confident in this market. So are we. We offer affordable football, and we know there's a market here for that. There are businesses here that want advertising in Canada. I don't see the risk here.''
Gregg, the NFL Hall of Fame member who played and coached in the Super Bowl, appeared most disappointed of all. ``We've all been looking forward to having a great season in Hampton Roads,'' he said. ``But in order for us to be here, I think somebody has to want us.''
Chamber officials clearly still want the Pirates, and will press their case in private with city officials.
Their message: The Pirates should be allowed to operate like any other business, without hindrance from the cities.
``We have every reason to believe that the CFL can work here,'' said John Hornback, the chamber's president and chief executive officer.
``We still think this makes sense for this region.''
Added Jeff Sias, the chamber's sports promotions director: ``We don't really understand the cities' position that the CFL would be a detriment to the community. The NHL and NBA are not going to be affected by whether a CFL team succeeds or fails.
``They (the Pirates) need to be allowed to operate on a level playing field.'' MEMO: Staff writer Jim Ducibella contributed to this report.
ODU'S STATEMENT
Statement from ODU athletic director Jim Jarrett:
As a partner in the Hampton Roads Community, Old Dominion University
agreed to discuss the possibility of the Pirates playing CFL games at
Foreman Field with the understanding that the University's priorities
would not be impacted in a significant manner and that city endorsement
would be needed prior to finalizing a lease agreement.
``While discussions were scheduled for tomorrow to review the current
situation it has become obvious there are too many hurdles to overcome
with regard to the Pirates leasing Foreman Field. Therefore, I have
notified them that we have terminated discussions.''
ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Huy Nguyen, The Virginian-Pilot
As Pirates president Lonie Glieberman, left, ponders his next move,
his father and team owner Bernie Glieberman talks with WVEC-TV's
Bruce Moore following a meeting with the Hampton Roads Cahmber of
Commerce Wednesday night.
by CNB