Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, December 18, 1993 TAG: 9312180133
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
They aren't sure whether the proposal is serious or just his personal field of dreams.
McCadden said Friday he's dead serious. In the next few days, he will release an artist's rendering of the proposed stadium near Hotel Roanoke.
The stadium would be located at First Street and Shenandoah Avenue and seat 8,000 to 12,000 spectators.
Council members are cautious about McCadden's proposal, not quite sure whether it is feasible or realistic. They say he has not discussed it with them.
Some said the proposed site for the stadium could interfere with the Henry Street revival project and the possibility of a convention center nearby.
No site has been chosen for a convention center. But city officials have said it might be located on the site of the old Norfolk and Western office buildings and the area immediately to the west.
"I think Mac has a vivid imagination at times," Councilman James Harvey said. "I'm leery of thinking that [a downtown stadium] would produce that much money for the city."
Harvey recalled that he was an investor several years ago in a semi-professional football team that folded because there was little support for it.
"I'm all for sports, but I don't know if it would be feasible," Councilman John Edwards said. "This is the first I have heard of it. I don't know if it would work."
Edwards said the city's major sports facilities are located in the complex around Victory Stadium.
The Roanoke Red Sox, a minor league baseball team, used to play at Maher Field, near the stadium.
McCadden says the city should either fix up the 50-year-old stadium or tear it down and sell the land.
Mayor David Bowers said he hopes Roanoke will do what it can to keep professional baseball in the Roanoke Valley.
"This is something that we favor, but I would assume that Salem would want to keep its baseball team," Bowers said.
The owner of the Salem Buccaneers, Kelvin Bowles, is considering selling the team, partly because Salem's Municipal Field is outdated.
Councilman William White said he didn't know anything about McCadden's proposal until he read about it in a newspaper story.
White said he was surprised that McCadden was quoted as saying he didn't have the votes on council to get the project approved.
"We have never discussed it, and I don't understand why he would say that," White said.
McCadden said the cost of the plan and rendering of the $8 million stadium by HOK Sports of Kansas City, Mo., was paid with private funds. No tax money has been spent on the idea.
McCadden said he understands that a convention and trade center is important to the city, but a baseball and football stadium could make more money for the city.
"If this goes through, and we [have a baseball team], this would bring in more money than a convention center," he said.
"At this time, I think [a stadium] might be more important than a convention center."
McCadden said he will seek community support for a stadium before he takes the proposal to council.
by CNB