TCI GIVES NEEDED CASH "INFUSION" TO OLYMPIC FESTIVAL

     U.S. Olympic Festival officials "breathed a sign of relief"
yesterday after TCI contributed $150,000 to the event.  That,
along with the hope that tickets sales "are picking up steam,"
gave officials optimism they would meet the Festival's $11.9M
budget.  The TCI funds were obtained by CO Gov. Roy Romer, who
called TCI Founder & Chair Bob Magness with the request.  TCI's
contribution and a "reduction of some expenses means the Festival
must still sell tickets worth $500,000 to balance its $11.9M
budget.  The event begins Friday night at Mile High Stadium.
Festival Co-Chair Tim Leiweke said that a daily average of
$40,000 in tickets have been sold this week.  Leiweke said that
by "continuing that average gets us below $350,000 before it
starts," and he hopes to sell $400,000 or more during the 10 days
of the Festival.  The Festival has sold $1.5M in tickets, and had
previously stated a need for $2.4M in ticket revenue, "but now
considers $2 million to be the break even point" (Kensler &
Parker, DENVER POST, 7/19).