Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
THE DOME SIGHT IN
VIRGINIA BEACH - MIGHT
NOT BE EMPTY MUCH LONGER.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IT -
IT'S BETWEEN 18TH AND
20TH STREETS AT THE
OCEANFRONT.
FOR MORE THAN 35-YEARS -
IT WAS THE ENTERTAINMENT
VENUE AT THE
BEACH. BUT IT WAS
DEMOLISHED IN 1994
- TO MAKE ROOM FOR
SOMETHING BIGGER, BETTER,
AND YET TO BE BUILT.
10 ON YOUR SIDE'S ANNE
MCNAMARA HAS BEEN
FOLLOWING THIS
STORY ALL NIGHT. ANNE -
WHAT'S NEW WITH THE
PROJECT?
"THESE EMPTY PARKING LOTS
BETWEEN 18TH AND 20TH
STREETS USED
TO BE A BIG ATTRACTION.
THE GOLF BALL SHAPED
BUILDING WAS
SYNONMOUS WITH THE GREAT
MUSIC ACTS OF THE 1960S
AND 70S. A QUICK
GOOGLE SEARCH YIELDS
TICKETS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
OF MUSIC LEGENDS LIKE
JIMI HENDRIX WHO PLAYED
AT THE DOME SITE.
BUT ALL OF THAT IS HARD
TO IMAGINE, FOR YOUNGER
GENERATIONS, WHO
HAVE KNOWN THIS ONLY AS A
PUBLIC PARKING LOT. THE
CITY DEMOLISHED
THE DOME IN 1994, WITH
PLANS TO REBUILD, BUT
FUNDING FELL THROUGH TIME
AND AGAIN. THE CITY HAS
GIVEN SIX EXTENSIONS ON
THE TIMELINE IT AGREED TO
FUTURISTIC
ENTERTAINMENT MEGAPLEX,
COMPLETE WITH A
BROADWAY-STYLE
THEATER, A SKATING RINK,
INDOOR AMUSEMENT PARKS
AND ONE OF THE
TALLEST FERRIS WHEELS ON
THE EAST COAST. THE MOST
RECENT
DEADLINE JENKINS HAS TO
MEET IS THE END OF THIS
YEAR.
BEACH COUNCILMAN JOHN
UHRIN SAYS THIS TIME
AROUND, JENKINS WILL MOST
LIKELY HAVE THE 150
MILLION DOLLARS IN
CAPITAL HE NEEDS BEFORE
THE
INTEREST IN VIRGINIA
BEACH BECAUSE OF
ANOTHER LARGE PROJECT
THAT'S GETTING NATIONAL
ATTENTION, THE
PROPOSED ARENA SITE THAT
COULD ATTRACT A MAJOR
LEAGUE SPORTS
FRANCHISE. UHRIN SAYS
THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES
ON THE ARENA HAVE SHOWED
OTHER INVESTORS THE
STRENGTH OF THE
MARKET, AND HAVE CHANGED
THE GAME FOR JENKINS AND
HIS QUEST TO CHANGE
AN EMPTY PARKING LOT INTO
A REGIONAL DESTINATION. "
THE DOME SITE FACILITY
WOULD BE FUNDED BY
PRIVATE INVESTORS.
THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO
PAY TO BUILD A PUBLIC
PARKING GARAGE AS
PART OF THE DEAL, BUT
PARKING FEES WOULD
REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR
THAT