Oilers owner Bud Adams said he is "halting all efforts to
promote" a downtown domed stadium."  Managers of the Astrodome
said they hope Adams now begins negotiations on a new contract
effective when the Oilers' 10-year lease expires after '97-98,
possibly leading to a $95M expansion of the Astrodome.  The
possibility also "looms that Adams will threaten to move his team
to another city desperately seeking an NFL franchise" -- such as
St. Louis, Baltimore, San Antonio or Hartford.  Meanwhile,
Rockets management said "they have not wavered" from plans to
seek a smaller arena that could house basketball and hockey.
Houston Mayor Bob Lanier said he had been expecting for several
days that Adams would "call it quits" because Adams never
generated support from Rockets owner Les Alexander, downtown
interests or the public (John Williams, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/30).

     The Saints have agreed to a deal that will keep them in the
Superdome for another 25 years.  Under the deal, the team will
"pay lower rent and take a larger share of game day concessions
sales."  The state will also pick up the cost of additional staff
at all the team's home games.  Details of the agreement: the club
will pay about $50,000 a year less in rent under the new
agreement, and receive 42% of the sale of certain concessions --
an increase from the current 35%.  The "concessions by the state
will cost at least" $4.5-5M over the life of the lease (Ed
Anderson, New Orleans TIME-PICAYUNE, 9/29).

     Reds Owner Marge Schott's "exclusive right to consider a
possible purchase" of Riverfront Stadium has been extended until
early December.  Schott advisor Stan Chesley, who requested the
extension in a letter to regional leaders, said while "nothing in
this letter should be construed in any way as a commitment ... we
continue to go forward."  Cincinnati Mayor Roxanne Qualls said
the agreement allows for extensions and said, "It's very
encouraging that they believe they're making progress."  Few
people in the city feel Schott will buy the stadium, as
speculation is she wants to build a Camden Yard-type ballpark for
the Reds (Richard Green, CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 9/30).