THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, February 13, 1997           TAG: 9702130006
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A20  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:   22 lines

BUILD AN ARENA FOR MANY ACTIVITIES

Your editorial ``Many other uses'' (Feb. 5) and the article ``New group takes reins of arena campaign'' (Feb. 6) make the point that a major-league hockey team is no longer the primary goal of this effort, but it is the arena/ coliseum itself. This so that it can be used for many other activities besides hockey.

If this is indeed our goal, then let's raise our sights and build a sports facility that will accommodate all sports, including football, hockey, basketball, ice skating, the circus, etc. Surely the Hampton Roads region can do as well as New Orleans with its Superdome.

A possible better location might be at the south end of the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge-Tunnel near I-664. This would provide easy access from all directions, and what a view! Maybe it could be called ``the Fish Bowl.''

THOMAS PERRY

Chesapeake, Feb. 7, 1997