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

DATE: MONDAY, May 9, 1994                   TAG: 9405090010
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SANDRA KELLY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ATTENTION FROM TOUR HAS COSTS

Salem's police department will spend about $700 in overtime pay to keep the peace when Tour DuPont rolls through today. Roanoke city and county police departments say they aren't spending a single extra dime.

How did the city and county do that? By rearranging officers' schedules, they say.

Also, the roadwork on Twelve O'Clock Knob and the seeding along the road over Mount Chestnut is just coincidental, a spokesman for the Virginia Department of Transportation said.

What looks like increased effort isn't. The work had been scheduled, but the timetable for it was moved up.

Don't be lulled by the claims of no-cost police aid and roadwork for the sixth annual Tour DuPont, though.

The Roanoke Valley's 15 minutes of fame - actually 30 minutes on ESPN at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday and four hours on WSLS (Channel 10) during the time trials from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. today - has a price tag.

Fire, police and other services local governments are making available during the time trials are worth $50,000 to $70,000 for each locality, said Bill Carter, secretary-treasurer of Cycle Roanoke Valley Inc.

Cycle Roanoke Valley is the nonprofit organizing agency for Roanoke Valley's bit of the Tour DuPont, a $6.5 million, 1,060 mile, 12-day event.

In addition to $25,000 that First Union National Bank of Virginia has pledged as the regional sponsor of the event, 22 area businesses and groups kicked in a total of about $75,000, Carter said.

The sponsorships are categorized by gold ($10,000), silver, ($5,000) and supporter ($1,250), and the donors range from Appalachian Power Co. to Cardinal Bicycle and the Radisson Patrick Henry, where Carter is general manager.

The local committee was still soliciting donors Friday.

Carter said most of the money is needed to pay for meals and lodging for the 700 guests cyclists and support teams who will stay here tonight. He said the Holiday Inn-Tanglewood, the Marriott, Sheraton and Radisson have given special rates for the night, but not free rooms. Also, the participants have to be fed breakfast Tuesday before they head for Lynchburg and the next segment of the race.

Sponsors are counting on getting something for their money. DuPont, the national sponsor, says the $2 million it gives to the event is worth $50 million in national and international exposure.

It's not all give, either. There will be some money spent in the area by the visitors, and goodness knows what it would cost to buy the half-hour of national exposure the valley will receive on ESPN, said Pete Lampman, who is doing public relations for Cycle Roanoke Valley.

There will also be opportunities to buy. The U.S. Post Office will hawk special Tour DuPont-Roanoke Valley cancellations at the Salem Civic Center starting point and at the Roanoke City Market Finish area. Tour DuPont memorabilia will be sold in both places, too, and where Va. 419 enters U.S. 221 and near Wasena Bridge in Roanoke.

by CNB