1st Union Adds Merchants for Olympic Smart Cards

First Union Corp. said seven additional merchants have agreed to participate in the Visa Cash stored-value card program in Atlanta, which will coincide with the Summer Olympic Games this July.

Burger King, Dunkin' Donuts, Hardee's, Amoco, General Cinema Theatres, Majik Market, and E-Z Serve convenience stores will accept the plastic cards with embedded computer chips in payment for goods and services.

These merchants join the dozen announced last fall, which included Star Enterprises/Texaco, United Artists Theatres, Chic-fil-A, Domino's Pizza, Baskin-Robbins, and Crown Central Petroleum.

The cards will also be accepted by Atlanta's rapid transit system, MARTA, and at some BellSouth public telephones.

The disposable cards will be available for purchase at several merchant locations and in First Union branches through card dispensing machines in denominations of $10, $20, $50, and $100.

In May, First Union plans to introduce "reloadable" cards, whose value can be replenished. Value will be added to the cards through certain First Union automated teller machines in Atlanta.

The bank also said it is introducing four card designs: currency and technology, American athletes, Georgia blossoms, and geomodern.

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