DATE: Sunday, March 16, 1997                TAG: 9703150650

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   37 lines

LOCAL REVIEW

AUDI LOOKING IN VIRGINIA: Virginia and four other states have made the final cut as Audi, Volkswagen AG's luxury car unit, looks for a location to build an automobile manufacturing plant, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership would say only that it could not ``comment on projects that are not announced or speculated.'' Audi downplayed the story, saying its plans are ``incredibly vague.''

DOWNTOWN AND THE MALL: The MacArthur Center mall will be a success, a Pittsburgh architect told a gathering of Norfolk's corporate and business leaders. The only question is whether the rest of downtown will share in the success. Urban design consultant Raymond L. Gindroz outlined what needs to happen between now and the turn of the century to assure success for all of downtown. Among his suggestions: Revitalizing the Granby Street business corridor by improving store facades, creating a safer environment by providing more housing downtown and establishing a downtown walking trail.

HAMPTON ENTERTAINMENT CENTER: The city of Hampton and the Coliseum Central Business Improvement District want to build a 22-acre outdoor urban entertainment center near Interstate-64 and Mercury Boulevard. The project designers envision letting mountain bike shoppers test different types of bikes on a manmade mountain, and an on-site lake where fishermen could cast lines. Also planned: restaurant pods centered on an outdoor-sports theme, live entertainment and concerts in an outdoor amphitheater and game rooms for high-tech entertainment.

OTHER NEWS: AT&T is giving more than $500,000 to Festevents to help underwrite over the next four years entertainment and festivals in downtown Norfolk's Town Point Park. . . . Hampton Roads added more jobs last year than previously thought, posting job growth of 2.4 percent. . . . To ease shoppers' concerns about crime, Military Circle Mall plans to add an 18-camera video security system that will provide a clear view of the Norfolk center's sprawling parking lot.

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