Several Cincinnati City Council members yesterday informally
said that they would support a plan to build a Reds ballpark next
to the Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati.  Council members
said they were also pleased that Reds Owner Marge Schott had
informed the Council that she wants the new ballpark to be
similar to those recently built in Cleveland, Chicago and
Baltimore.  Mayor Roxanne Qualls: "It is progress that Mrs.
Schott has publicly indicated she wants a new facility."  It now
appears that in order for Schott to be granted a new ballpark,
Tri-State executives must convince Bengals GM Mike Brown to sign
a long-term lease at an expanded and refurbished Riverfront
Stadium.  Brown also has demanded a new stadium, but local
leaders have said publicly they are committed to renovating
Riverfront for one of the city's professional teams, while
building a new structure for the other.  Regional leaders  said
it would take months before a decision on the issue is made
(Green & Goldberg, CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/10).

     NBA Commissioner David Stern toured the Gund arena
Wednesday, saying the Cavaliers' new home is among several sites
being considered to host the '97 All Star game.  NBA Deputy
Commissioner Russ Granik said the two major considerations for an
All-Star site are "the arena and the hotels in the area."  Stern,
Granik, Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund, Cavaliers GM Wayne Embry and
other team and NBA execs toured the arena and attended the
Cavaliers opening game.  Stern says the new facility has "a
special intimacy" and has contributed to Cleveland's downtown
"revitalization."  The '95 All Star game will be played in
Phoenix and the '96 game in Houston (Burt Graeff, Cleveland PLAIN
DEALER, 11/9).  The NBA "Nightly News" featured a piece on Gund
Arena and its effect on Cleveland's downtown (NBC, 11/9).