THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 28, 1996 TAG: 9608280644
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 80 lines
City Council appropriated $100,000 Tuesday night to design a 7,500-seat multi-purpose stadium in Lake Ridge that would serve as home for the Hampton Roads Mariners soccer team.
Council voted 9-1 to approve the funding in its formal session after discussing the issue for 50 minutes in informal session. Reba S. McClanan cast the only dissenting vote. W.W. Harrison Jr. abstained because his law firm represents Mark Garcea and Page Johnson, the Mariners' owners.
The facility is expected to cost $4.5 million. It would also be the football/soccer/field hockey home for a high school to be constructed in Lake Ridge, the Hampton Roads Sharks semi-pro football team, the Hampton Roads Pirahnas women's soccer team and numerous recreation tournaments.
It would be expandable in stages to 15,000 seats and to 30,000 if the Mariners move up to Major League Soccer in four or five years. City Council authorized Economic Development Director Donald L. Maxwell to begin negotiations with the Mariners over a lease.
A draft of a proposed lease provided to council indicates the Mariners would pay $90,000 per year in rent. Maxwell estimates the stadium would provide $1.33 million over 10 years in rent and tax revenues, assuming the stadium is not expanded.
But like virtually all sports stadiums, Maxwell said this one will not pay for itself. ``It will not be a money-making concern,'' he said.
Expanding the stadium to 30,000 seats would cost about $30 million, Maxwell said. It is expected City Council will use a portion of a $20 million budget surplus to fund the $4.5 million first phase. It isn't known from where the additional $25.5 million would come.
A consultant, expected to be hired within two weeks, will design the stadium and also determine the potential impact of traffic and noise from the stadium on residents, businesses and the Virginia Beach Amphitheater. The stadium would be located just south of Princess Anne Park and east of the Amphitheater.
While most Council members were upbeat about the stadium, most said questions remain to be answered before they will give the final go-ahead, which is expected in October.
Harrison asked Maxwell to ask the consultant to determine if spillover parking from the stadium would have a negative impact on the Amphitheater.
Nancy K. Parker voiced concern that the School Board had not yet agreed to Lake Ridge High School sharing a stadium with the Mariners. ``We've got to get the School Board's agreement and consent,'' she said.
Louis R. Jones voiced concern over stadium advertising. He asked Maxwell to ensure that alcohol and tobacco advertisements would not be visible during high school and community league events.
Contrary to expectations, the stadium will not include a track for the high school because a regulation soccer field can't fit inside a 400-meter track. Maxwell said the city would have to construct a track, practice field and a small portion of stands at the new high school.
Officials had hoped to save up to $1 million by not having to build a football stadium for the high school, but savings are likely to be closer to $300,000.
Nonetheless, Maxwell said he is bullish on the stadium, which would be by far the largest in Virginia Beach and likely would host many high school championship events.
``Even without the Mariners, the project would stand on its own,'' he said. ``It is something the community needs.'' ILLUSTRATION: Virginia Beach officials say they will use this
artist's conception when designing their stadium for the Hampton
Roads Mariners.
KEYWORDS: SOCCER STADIUM MARINERS VIRGINIA BEACH CITY
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