THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 26, 1997 TAG: 9701240033
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: Perry Morgan
LENGTH: 64 lines
Hampton Roads is a channel and harbor in Southeastern Virginia linking the James River estuary with the Chesapeake Bay. It also is an urban place name that works better than others but not very well.
One reason is that some of its parts - Virginia Beach and Norfolk, for example - are better known than the whole. Another reason is that the regional name suggests a civic oneness that doesn't exist.
If it did exist, acquisition of a major sports franchise might be easier on the one hand and less important on the other.
Easier because with a shared sense of ownership and aspiration, Hampton Roads would have a known record of goal-setting and achievement.
Less important because existing institutions, fully developed and smartly marketed, already would have put Hampton Roads ``on the map'' with many who might infuse new money, enterprise and talent into the area.
Hampton Roads is not as threadbare of attractions as might be imagined from the hot pursuit of Rhinos, whose ticket ads on TV promise buyers some ``respect.'' But some of those attractions, including the Norfolk Botanical Garden, have great chunks of unrealized potential. Changing that is important - with or without a $143 million, 20,000-seat arena that has popped up with forecasts of making an annual profit.
For the moment, assume that the prize has been won and the Rhinos are on the ice in that splendid arena. Assume, in addition, that there was no Nauticus glaze on the crystal ball and the predicted throngs really have appeared rink-side with hats in the air and pricey tickets in hand. Assume, finally, a success of such golden proportion that ours are contented Rhinos having no urge to thunder off in pursuit of a bigger market or facility. And now - supposing done - ask how much further the area has moved toward a shared citizenship.
Probably not far at all. The fundamental impediment of separate governments would remain. So would old rivalries, though these might be mitigated by a measure of cost-sharing among the several cities for constructing the arena. A regional team in a regional stadium? That would be something. Too bad there's not more precedent: Our cultural assets would be all the better for it.
Since facilities make such a difference in the quality of urban life, and in the appeal of places, it's worth asking why some existing, home-grown facilities haven't fared better.
The Norfolk Botanical Garden easily could be famous in far places. Its water-fringed setting is superb and much beauty is tucked around its 155 acres, but it hasn't enough vistas or flowering gardens to make the turnstiles click. The city supports the garden's continuing development, but not with boldness.
Norfolk also nourishes The Chrysler Museum from whose impressive collections other museums borrow to enhance crowd-pulling exhibitions. But the Chrysler, very fine inside and out, is not noted for mounting exhibitions of its own.
The Virginia Zoo also is still developing with sparkling improvements foreseen down the road. The zoo in its present state is said to attract 300,000 visitors a year with little advertising.
If the arena comes to pass and turns Hampton Roads into a hot spot for visitors, tourists and new businesses, all will be interested to know what else the region offers. The answer is several top-of-the-line facilities and others that could benefit mightily from a bit of the vision now focused on building something new. MEMO: Mr. Morgan is a former publisher of The Virginian-Pilot.