VALLEY'S GAMES BID INTACT

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 7, 1992                   TAG: 9202070056
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
VALLEY'S GAMES BID INTACT
The Roanoke Valley will bid to play host to the Commonwealth Games of Virginia from 1993-95 despite the recent shake-up at Virginia Amateur Sports that has left the Games with virtually no paid staff.
Martha Mackey, executive director of the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Thursday she expects the bureau to submit its bid next week. She said a group from Charlottesville has joined bidders from Richmond and Tidewater who want the Olympic-style sports festival.
This year's Games are scheduled for June 23-30 at sites around the Roanoke Valley.
Mackey said Roanoke and Roanoke County have pledged to support the Games for the three-year period either with cash or in-kind services.
However, the ouster of VAS executive director Doug Fonder last week and VAS' intention to retain only one paid staff member to help run the Games has left some issues unsettled. For example, Mackey said she is curious about the Games' private support and the effect it could have on the Roanoke Valley's bid.
Mackey said she will meet with VAS' Gina Dunnavant today to determine the status of corporate sponsors Fonder had courted. VAS is counting on those donations, plus severe budget-cutting, to bail it out of financial straits.
"Any time you have a major change like that, there's always some concern when you're going into the bidding process," Mackey said. "We know who our competition is. Richmond has recently formed a sports organization whose sole purpose is to get sporting activities in there.
"You only have to learn this once: You never go in thinking you have the piece of business in the bag."
Mackey said she has gotten good response from some area hotels offering help in the bidding process.
She said the convention and visitors bureau will submit the bid assuming that VAS will run the Games from '93-95 whether or not the organization has a paid staff.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB