THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 7, 1997 TAG: 9701070214
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 61 lines
One week before their formal presentation to the National Hockey League, George Shinn and Hampton Roads officials still are without an arena deal.
The Hampton Roads Partnership faxed yet another offer late Monday to Shinn, hoping to reach an agreement on a 20,000-seat arena in downtown Norfolk for a proposed NHL expansion team.
Sources would not reveal details of the latest proposal, one of dozens made between Shinn and the Partnership since early November, though both sides insist an agreement could be made as early as today.
Although sources describe the differences between the two sides as narrow, Shinn is running out of time to reach an arena deal. Shinn, who leads one of 11 ownership groups bidding for an expansion franchise, is scheduled to make a 45-minute presentation to NHL owners next Tuesday at 9 a.m. in New York City.
Details of the arena deal, if one is reached, must be included in the presentation. Shinn has said it will take several days to incorporate the arena deal into brochures and a video that will accompany his speech to the owners. Shinn calls the presentation ``the most important part'' of his bid for an NHL team.
Shinn, who owns the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, will cut off season-ticket sales after Friday so they can be audited for the presentation. Shinn has said he expects sales to pick up considerably, perhaps with a one-day burst of 1,000 or more tickets, once a deal is signed. If the deal isn't signed soon, Shinn may not get that surge in sales.
``Time is getting short, that's for sure,'' said Norfolk Mayor Paul D. Fraim, one of the Partnership's negotiators. He declined further comment.
The arena, expected to cost $120 million to $140 million, would be constructed with bonds issued by the Hampton Roads Sports Facility Authority. The bonds would be paid off by taxes generated at the arena, contributions from area cities and from the Rhinos, as the team would be called. The main holdup in the deal is the amount of the Rhinos' contribution.
Meanwhile, Rhinos officials continue to work on the New York presentation and sales of season tickets and luxury suites. Tom Ward, vice president of marketing for the Hornets, said ticket sales have picked up considerably since the Rhinos began a blitz of radio, television and newspaper advertising late last week. He would not provide any ticket sale numbers.
``We're getting the returns we'd hoped for,'' Ward said. ``But we're still waiting on the big corporate blocks. That's the key.''
Many of the region's largest corporations have been asked by the Rhinos and civic leaders to purchase large blocks of tickets, including some as large as 1,000.
Nine weeks ago, the Rhinos set goals of 10,000 season tickets and 40 luxury suites by presentation time. At last count they had sold about 5,000 tickets and 25 suites, but officials haven't updated those figures since mid-December.
Hampton Roads isn't the only expansion candidate without an arena deal. Officials in Raleigh continue to bicker over a proposed arena that would be shared by an NHL team and the North Carolina State University basketball team.
The Raleigh City Council meets today for the final time before the New York presentations and an arena vote is not expected. Charlotte businessman Felix Sabates, who is spearheading the Raleigh effort, said he is prepared to go to New York without an arena deal if necessary.
KEYWORDS: NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE FRANCHISE