THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 13, 1996 TAG: 9604130466
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
Gov. George F. Allen has thrown a monkey wrench into the planning of a 20,000-seat Hampton Roads arena designed to attract an NBA or NHL franchise.
Allen this week attached two amendments to a General Assembly approved bill that would create a regional sports authority for the purpose of issuing bonds to finance the proposed $150 million arena.
Allen's amendments:
An NBA or NHL team would have to be committed to Hampton Roads before the bonds could be issued.
The governor would appoint the authority's 15 members.
Del. Jerrauld C. Jones, a Norfolk Democrat who sponsored the legislation in the House, said Friday the amendments will undo most of the good done the last three months.
``We worked hard to try to get the membership of the authority to reflect the entire region,'' Jones said..
Too, Jones added, the provision that a major-league franchise must be committed to the area before an arena is in place would be an impediment.
``The reality is that you have to have the facility before you can honestly and vigorously compete with other regions for a franchise,'' Jones said.
``Nashville (Tenn.) is on the verge of attracting an NBA team because they have a facility. We won't get a team unless we have a facility.
``This amendment may be politically prudent, but it's not realistic in the hurly-burly world of major league sports.''
The House and Senate will act on Allen's amendments Wednesday. They can accept the amended version, override his amendments with a two-thirds majority in both houses or simply kill the bill.
Jones admitted there's little chance that a two-thirds majority can be mustered. He said his best chance is to plead with Allen to drop the amendments.
Mark Christie, deputy counsel for the Republican governor, said Allen will listen.
``We value Jerrauld's opinion very much,'' Christie said. ``We've worked with Jerrauld on a lot of things. We'll always listen to Jerrauld.''
Jones' bill would create a sports authority composed of 15 members appointed by 15 area jurisdictions. The current sports authority has one member each from seven cities and Isle of Wight County.
The new authority would issue bonds guaranteed by area cities, who likely would pay off the debt from a combination of taxes and proceeds from the arena. The authority would have no taxing ability.
Christie said Allen made the changes to bring the legislation in line with a similar stadium authority in Northern Virginia that hopes to finance a major league baseball stadium. Northern Virginia is hoping to attract the Houston Astros or another team.
However, Northern Virginia differs from Hampton Roads in that there is a temporary place nearby to house a baseball team - RFK Stadium, formerly home to the Washington Senators. Hampton Roads has no facility in which an NBA or NHL team could play for two or three years while a new facility was being constructed, Jones said.
Ironically, Jones' original bill contained the provisions added by Allen. They were deleted in the Senate by Chesapeake Republican Frederick M. Quayle, with Jones' permission, after negotiations with regional leaders.
Morton V. Whitlow, chairman of the Sports Authority of Hampton Roads, said he's opposed to Allen's amendments. If Hampton Roads cities and counties are to help pay for an arena, they should all be guaranteed representation on the sports authority, he said.
``It appears that the governor is being ultra conservative in his approach,'' Whitlow said. ``The name of the game in today's world is to take a chance and build an arena. It's the only way you can attract a team.''
Christie said Allen's amendment calls upon the 15 jurisdictions to recommend members for the sports authority, though he acknowledges Allen wouldn't be obligated to follow those recommendations.
``Obviously, there isn't a governor around who doesn't want more powers of appointment,'' Jones said. ``It's how they control things.
``There's another unintended result of the governor's amendments. He specified basketball and hockey, and I am told there is some interest in constructing a baseball facility on the north side of Hampton Roads. Because of the amendment, the authority would be unable to issue bonds for a Peninsula baseball stadium.''
Jones remains an unabashed arena booster, and says whatever tax increases are needed to fund the arena will be popular.
``People are willing to pay for what they want,'' Jones said. ``I think this falls into that category, because there's a void in this community. . . . People here want a major sports team.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
Jerrauld C. Jones
Gov. George F. Allen
KEYWORDS: ARENA by CNB