DATE: Friday, May 16, 1997                  TAG: 9705160899

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C7   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   29 lines

NORFOLK BIDS TO HOST THE MCDONALD'S ALL-STAR GAME

Just last week, Norfolk became the primary home of high school sports championships in Virginia. Now, the city is pursuing a high school sporting event with national appeal by courting next year's McDonald's All-American basketball game.

Organizers of the all-star game for the nation's top high school seniors met with city officials Wednesday and toured Scope, the proposed site.

Other cities vying for the game are Kansas City and New Orleans, Norfolk mayor Paul Fraim said Thursday.

``I think we're pretty close,'' Fraim said. ``We've been courting them since last year, or even earlier.''

Billy Mann of the Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau represented the city at the McDonald's game this March in Colorado Springs.

Next year's game, featuring the nation's top high school seniors, is likely to include Hampton High's Ronald Curry and former Indian River star Jason Capel of St. John's at Prospect Hall in Frederick, Md. Capel is the son of Old Dominion coach Jeff Capel.

The McDonald's game is televised nationally, and this year it preceded the NCAA tournament national semifinals on CBS.

``It would be additional national exposure and would give us the opportunity to showcase the local high school talent,'' Fraim said.

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