THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 2, 1996 TAG: 9603020238
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
A bill that would create a sports authority to finance a proposed 20,000-seat sports arena will be the primary topic of discussion this morning at the Hampton Roads Coalition of Civic Organizations steering committee meeting.
The meeting, which is open to the public, starts at 10 a.m. at the South Norfolk Library at 1100 Poindexter Street.
Sen. Frederick M. Quayle, R-Chesapeake, co-patron of a bill that would create the new sports authority, will speak at 11 a.m. and is scheduled to answer questions.
House Bill 1234, which would create the sports authority, was proposed by Norfolk Del. Jerrauld Jones and passed the House of Delegates, 94-4, three weeks ago. It is now being considered by the Senate Committee on Local Government, which is chaired by Republican Mark Earley of Chesapeake.
The Virginia Beach and Norfolk city councils recently announced they would cooperate to hire a consultant to help determine whether Hampton Roads could support a 20,000-seat arena. Jones said his new sports authority would likely be the agency to finance the arena, although the region already has another funding agency, the Sports Authority of Hampton Roads.
The current sports authority has representatives from eight-member jurisdictions. Most of the members of Jones' authority would be appointed by the governor.
An increase in the sales tax is one option for paying for an arena. It is expected that the funding authority would pay for the arena with bonds, to be repaid from tax receipts.
Gene Waters, chairman of the Hampton Roads Coalition of Civic Organizations, said he believes there should be a referendum before any tax increase is passed.
``We certainly want the people of Hampton Roads behind this before we build it,'' he said. ``People resent (government) using their money without being asked.''
KEYWORDS: STADIUM ARENA PROPOSED by CNB