Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-14
TRADE BOARD ASKS
STADIUM INCLUDE
LARGE AUDITORIUM
10000 to 5000 Seats and
10000 Square Feet of
Space Urged.
WOULD ACCOMMODATE
BIGGEST CONVENTIONS
National as Well as Local Benefit
Is Contemplated, Park Body
Is Told.

An auditorium with seating ca
pacity of 10000 to $4,000 and exhibit
ton space of $4,000 to 100000 square
feet will be included in plans for the
proposed municipal stadium at the
foot of East Capitol street, If a re-
quest of the Washington Board of
Trade is acted upon favorably by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission
John Saul, president Of the Board
of Trade, has called upon Frederic
A. Delano, chairman of the commits
sion. and Francis P. Sullivan. con-
sulting architect for the stadium, to
include auditorium and exhibition
space sufficiently large to accommo-
date the largest gatherings in the
United States.
Saul was supported in presenting
the request by Arthur B. Heaton,
chairman of the Public and Private
Buildings Committee, Karl Corby,
chairman of the Parks and Reserva-
tions Committee, and Robert j. Cot
trell, executive secretary of the board.
Architecture Is Approved.
Architectural plans for the huge
structure have already been given the
approval Of the Fine Arts Commission
but detailed interior plans have not
been finally acted upon.
The Trade Board gave Delano sta
tistics showing the seating capacity
and exhibition space of the largest
auditoria in the country, ranging from
5000 seats in Grand Rapids and c.
lumbus to 1920 at Philadelphia. Ex-
hibition space of 10000 square feet al
Memphis ranges up to 100000 feet at
Philadelphia.
Saul and Heaton pointed out In let
ters to the commission chairman that
some 200 conventions meet in Wash
ington annually. but that the Is or
80 largest cannot convene here be-
cause of the lack Of accommodations.
Hotels are sufficiently large for the
biggest. but no convention requiring
more than 1000 seats can find place
to meet here.
Might Pay Part of Own Cost.
lihOAAs lAlC AoA SCI Continuous SAtNA
are the American Medical Association,
the American College of Surgeons. the
American Library Association, the
American Transit Association, tie
Christian Endeavor Association, the
Interstate Postgraduate Medical AS
ISOLATION, large group of church and
religious organizations and others.
While no cost figure for the stadium
project has been announced, it was
pointed out that the auditorium could
be used as a source of income to de-
fray at least a part of the expense of
erection.
Already plans call for a stadium
capable of seating some $4,000 TO 100
000 National Guard Armory, q Ma
rine Reserve Armory, with adequate
drill fields; complete facilities for
track, field and water sports, and
other athletic features.
Local Use Limitation.
These. the trade board pointed out,
may limit the use of the center to local
purposes, whereas an Auditorium of
sufficient size would be utilized by
many national and possibly interna-
tional organizations.
II am by no means speaking entirely
on behalf of the people of Washing
ton" Heaton said. THE subject is one
that Is of vital interest to hundreds
of thousands Of members Of large or
CARNATIONS living in all parts of the
United States"
Among other cities that have such
facilities, with which Washington is
comparable. are st. Louis. Milwaukee.
Minneapolis, San Francisco, Pitts
burgh, Denver, Buffalo, Louisville and
New Orleans.
Armory Combination Used.
At Louisville the auditorium is
combined with an armory, which was
suggested as a possibility in the prof.
ect here. Pittsburgh is now building
an auditorium which will seat $4,000
and have 100000 square feet Of ex-
hibition space. with most of the
money for the project coming from
the Federal Government. Kansas City
is also building structure that will
seat from $4,000 to $4,000 and will In
clude 80 meeting halls.
President Saul asked for a hearing
before the Park and Planning Com
mission before final action is taken.
Sullivan is now drafting tentative
plans to be submitted.
The Board Of Trade was the orig
inal sponsor here Of the stadium prof.
ect and in the drive for its approval
has gained the support of more than