GATOR BOWL LOOKING FOR MORE MONEY TO BECOME MAJOR BOWL

     The Gator Bowl Association hopes to "boost the annual Gator
Bowl game into the top tier of the nation's bowl picture with the
help of additional bed-tax revenues."  The Association plans to
ask the Duval County Tourist Development Council for a 3-year
commitment of $1.5M from a tax on hotel stays.   Rick Catlett,
Exec Dir of the Outback Steakhouse Gator Bowl:  "This is keeping
with the next plan of becoming a part of the alliance."  The
Tier-1 alliance currently consists of the Orange, Sugar and
Fiesta Bowls.  If the revenue increase for the Gator Bowl is
approved, the money would go for advertising and an increased
payout to the teams (Daniels & Friedland, FLORIDA TIMES-UNION,
3/14).