DOES TARGET CENTER DEAL NEED TO BE IN PLACE BY FEBRUARY 13?

     Henry Savelkoul, Chair of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities
Commission said Wednesday that a Target Center buyout package
must be in place by February 13 or the Twin Cities again "could
face the loss of the Timberwolves."  February 13 is the date the
NBA's Board of Governors meets in Phoenix during All-Star
weekend.  Savelkoul: "My concern is that we have the owners all
getting together at the All-Star Game in about 10 days, and if we
don't have it done by that time they might say, 'We're going to
make a decision.'"  Savelkoul did say that no NBA official "had
specifically warned him that the NBA had such definitive plans."
March 1 is the deadline for team owners to advise the league of
intentions to relocate.  Wolves and Target Center co-owner Marv
Wolfenson said that he and partner Harvey Ratner have not filed a
relocation application "nor did they plan to do so."  Glen Taylor
has an agreement to buy the Wolves, provided the public buyout of
the Target Center is completed (Jay Weiner, Minneapolis STAR
TRIBUNE, 2/2).