Mariners VP Paul Isaki said a matter of "very Japanese"
dignity prevents the team from heading up efforts to build a new
ballpark, according to the Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE.  Addressing the
King County Council budget committee, Isaki said that Nintendo
President Hiroshi Yamauchi considers his '92 purchase of the team
a "gift" and could never consider asking taxpayers to build him
stadium.  Isaki said any vote on a tax would have to be held in
'95 since the Mariners will need a new home before their Kingdome
lease expires at the end of '96.  Budget Committee Chairman Peter
von Reichbauer:  "The average person is going to question the
Mariners' commitment. ... They should be leading the charge
financially and physically" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 6/1).

     The MA megaplex commission's $943M convention center-sports
complex "hinges on" $23.4M in annual payments from the hotel
industry and calls for $90M in corporate contributions that are
yet to be determined, according to this morning's BOSTON GLOBE.
In approving financing yesterday, the commission "effectively
tied the convention center and two sports facilities together,
recommending that no individual portion go forward unless the
entire project does" (Richard Kindleberger, BOSTON GLOBE, 6/2).
     NUMBERS BREAKDOWN:  Of the $943M in costs, $90M would come
from corporate contributions, $150M from the Red Sox and $703M
would be financed.  Annual financing costs are $75.4M.  With $29M
annually from the state, $5M from the Patriots and $45.3M from
"dedicated revenue sources" (hotel and rental car fees, ticket
surcharges and stadium parking), the commission projects annual
revenue at $79.3M.  Costs:  $79.7M for site acquisition, $162.2M
for infrastructure, $547.4M for convention center and domed
stadium, $150M for the baseball park, $6.7M for legal and other
fees (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/2).  Gov. William Weld meets this week with
a top official from ITT/Sheraton, which has expressed interest in
becoming an investor.  An ad seeking corporate investors has
drawn 13 responses (Meg Vaillancourt, BOSTON GLOBE, 6/2).

     The Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) is moving forward with a
plan to build a new $168.1M stadium for the Bucs, according to
the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES.  Faced with the choice of renovating,
rebuilding, or building a new stadium, the TSA made its decision
based on the ability of the architects to cut the price of a new
stadium from $210M to $168M.  The TSA's financing committee is
hoping the bulk of the financing will come from PSLs (ST. PETE
TIMES, 6/2).  Planners hope to raise up to two-thirds of the
costs through private contributions and persuade taxpayers and
lawmakers to pay the rest (Jim Kenyon, TAMPA TRIBUNE, 6/1).