DATE: Sunday, June 15, 1997                 TAG: 9706130231

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 08   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: ON THE STREET 

SOURCE: Bill Reed 

                                            LENGTH:   60 lines

BEACH CYNICS GET A KICK AT NEW SPORTS ARENA IDEA

Ah, such cynics we Beachites are at times.

Imagine, questioning the motives of backers of a half-dozen projects touted as the answer to all of our regional ``quality of life'' problems.

Nevertheless, that was the case Tuesday when Rick Horrow, a Miami-based consultant cum moderator representing the Hampton Roads Partnership, made his pitch to the Virginia Beach City Council.

One of those ``quality of life'' issues is expected to be a new sports arena, and guess where it would be built. That's right, Norfolk.

Now imagine the gall of Virginia Beach council members who dared suggest that it was just another back-door move to get a major league hockey arena in the core city at the expense of taxpayers in all Hampton Roads communities.

Virginia Beach, the city with the largest population in the state and the healthiest bank account in the region would have the most to lose in any regional ``cost sharing'' enterprise, they reasoned.

Frankly I'm shocked. Those suspicious folks on the council thought they smelled something a leeetle funky. In so many words, they politely told Horrow that no matter how it was perfumed and powdered, a skunk is still a skunk.

The tall, tanned Mr. Horrow assured Beach council members that the overall scheme is to build things like convention centers, light rail systems, libraries, museums and such with maybe a sports project thrown in to the mix as well. ``This is an economic development issue, not a sports issue,'' he said.

The Hampton Roads Partnership, made up primarily of business and political leaders from all of Hampton Roads, last year signed an agreement that called for the region to build an arena in downtown Norfolk - if the region were to receive a National Hockey League franchise. The local NHL team would be called the Rhinos and their home base would be in this new 20,000-seat downtown arena. It was hailed as the best and most likely effort to secure a major league team in this area.

Alas, the deal fell through and the arena idea remains alive today, like the famed Frankenstein monster. It continues to lurch around Tidewater, scaring the bejeebers out of Virginia Beach politicians.

They recently went through a harrowing budget debate, surviving intense pressure from educational lobbying groups to raise local taxes to fund a 1997-98 school budget. The school budget eventually was whittled down and Beach residents were spared real estate tax increase - at least for another year.

Still licking their wounds, Beach council members don't even want to hear the word ``taxes.'' And that's exactly what would be required of Virginia Beach residents, should the council agree to participate in the a regional capital improvement scheme.

Harrow contends that all their worries are needless and premature. There is no definite ``list'' of projects, he said. That has yet to be decided through a regional give and take, with Horrow - of course - as referee.

He foresees the completion of the project list and a plan to finance it by summer 1998. The entire package would be taken to the General Assembly, which then would be asked to set a regional referendum date.

This means that residents in all corners of Hampton Roads would be asked to vote to approve the projects and - in the process - agree to pay additional taxes. An additional sales tax would be the most likely source.

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