BATTLE BETWEEN POLLIN AND BET'S JONHSON CEASES

     Black Entertainment Television President Robert Johnson
yesterday ended his opposition to building a publicly funded
arena in downtown Washington, DC, now that Capitals and Bullets
owner Abe Pollin has agreed to pay for the construction himself.
Johnson:  "The world turned upside down when Pollin agreed to pay
for the arena construction.  They should have gone private in the
first place. ... We're not looking for hooks to bring the deal
down."  Johnson went on to say that he would stop efforts on
Capitol Hill and elsewhere to block the deal, now regarding it as
"very good" for the District (Howard Schneider, WASHINGTON POST,
1/5).  Should Pollin need help in funding the $180M arena,
Johnson offered financial assistance.  In exchange, however, he
would want the chance to buy the Bullets -- a team that Pollin
has repeatedly said that he is not interested in selling (Jeanne
Dewey, WASHINGTON TIMES, 1/5).