THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, November 4, 1996              TAG: 9611020014
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A8   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:   21 lines

AREA NEEDS NEW NAME

I applaud Hampton Roads Economic Development for its new ad campaign. One thing concerns me: ``Hampton Roads'' is not a recognizable name. Raleigh-Durham, Tampa-St. Petersburg and Minneapolis-St. Paul are all cities that you know at first glance. The last I checked, I-95, Routes 13 and 460 all say Norfolk or Virginia Beach.

We are pushing ourselves away from the big boys by trying to please the smaller cities. This area needs to call itself the ``Norfolk/Virginia Beach Metro Area.'' Others have been saying this for years.

Let's keep ourselves on the map (where we already are) and leave ``Hampton Roads'' to the locals.

DEREK A. DuBOIS

Norfolk, Oct. 18, 1996 by CNB