NORTHERN VIRGINIA BASEBALL BID STILL HOT DESPITE STRIKE

     "In an odd bit of kismet," a group of Northern VA investors
yesterday announced a bid to bring a major league baseball team
to VA just hours before Acting Commissioner Bud Selig canceled
the baseball season.  The group, Virginia Baseball Inc., claimed
that the bid represents the "strongest area coalition yet" to
bring a team to Northern VA (David Nakamura, WASHINGTON POST,
9/15).  Though officials have made no formal announcement, MLB is
believed to be adding two teams for the '97 season.  The
approximate cost for expansion is expected to be between $120-
170M, not including a stadium or operating costs (Basham &
Alexander, FAIRFAX JOURNAL, 9/15).  The coalition reportedly
includes more than two dozen investors that have pledged more
than $98M in equity capital, as well as securing $100M in debt
financing to underwrite the bid (WASHINGTON POST, 9/15).