DATE: Monday, April 7, 1997                 TAG: 9704050052

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   82 lines

BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT EXPECTED FROM FESTIVAL

AN EVENING OUT for a show, concert or other stage performance often involves laying out cash for more than just tickets.

There's usually parking, cocktails, dinner, coffee and dessert. Sometimes even a hotel room for the night.

All this translates into money for both businesses and city coffers.

With 18 days filled with more than 70 performances, Virginia Waterfront International Arts Festival officials are hoping to give the local economy a boost while developing the region as a cultural destination.

``We're looking for some fairly strong impact,'' said Sam Rogers, Norfolk's marketing director, who oversees the regional Virginia Waterfront tourism campaign.

If last year's 54-day run of ``The Phantom of the Opera'' at Chrysler Hall is any indication, the economic impact of a world-class festival could be substantial. ``Phantom'' generated nearly $1 million in revenue for Norfolk, according to city reports.

Because the festival is in its inaugural year, officials cannot accurately forecast what the impact will be. However, a few things are clear.

Out-of-town visitors spend more money than locals for lodging and meals. But in the first year of an event, when there's no reputation or word-of-mouth to entice outsiders, the vast majority of tickets will be purchased by local residents.

``In our first year, we need to establish an identity and awareness,'' Rogers said. ``We need to let people know we are presenting a high-quality festival with great talent.''

Estimates are that 10 percent to 20 percent of the tickets will be purchased by visitors.

``Each year, our goal is to reach a wider and wider audience outside the Hampton Roads area,'' said Robert W. Cross, artistic director of the festival.

Spoleto Festival U.S.A., a similar event in Charleston, S.C., entering its 21st season, sold 55 percent of its tickets to out-of-towners last year.

The 1996 Spoleto Festival had a $16.4 million economic impact on the Charleston area, according to a study conducted by the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. It also created 279 jobs.

``Spoleto means big money and big visitors,'' said Jacki Warren, research manager for the Charleston's Chamber.

``It's hard to get a hotel room in the city during Spoleto,'' she added. ``The shops and restaurants are just bustling with both residents and visitors.''

Since Spoleto began in 1977, more than $500 million has been invested in the revitalization of downtown Charleston, said Marie Lawson, marketing and public relations director for Spoleto.

``It's amazing how the city has changed from when the festival began,'' Lawson said. ``It really kicked things off for getting people to Charleston.''

While the International Arts Festival does not want to be a ``baby Spoleto,'' Cross said, organizers are hoping for similar returns down the road.

``It would be great to have something of that magnitude in Virginia,'' said Martha Steger, spokeswoman for the Virginia Tourism Corporation, which contributed financially to the festival.

The festival is modeled after the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland, and, to a lesser extent, Spoleto in Charleston.

The International Arts Festival differs from Spoleto in that it has more culturally diverse offerings in addition to traditional arts, plus it includes many local arts groups as well as internationally renowned artists.

The International Arts Festival will run from April 27 to May 11 and will feature performances from Virginia Beach to Williamsburg.

More than two dozen performers will appear in the premiere season of the festival. They include the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, the Miami String Quartet, the Mark Morris Dance Group, Steve Reich and Musicians, Ramsey Lewis, Garrison Keillor's ``A Prairie Home Companion,'' Victor Borge and Circus Flora.

Ticket sales will cover 35 percent to 50 percent of the festival's approximate $1.8 million budget. The remaining funds come from corporate sponsors, foundations and state and city support.

``For many years, people have said we need to do something that's regional,'' Rogers said. ``They've said we've got to elevate the arts and position ourselves as a cultural center.

``We are now less than 30 days away from a region-wide, major arts festival showcasing world-class talent and the best of our local groups. I don't think people recognize the magnitude of this event.'' ILLUSTRATION: File photo

Festival managing director Peter C. Lawrence profiled on Page E4.

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