STOLPEN ENDS TENURE AS HORNETS PRESIDENT

     Hornets Owner George Shinn and Spencer Stolpen, team
President since '90, "severed their" business relationship
yesterday by "mutual agreement," according to the CHARLOTTE
OBSERVER.  The departure of Stolpen, who was scheduled to make a
presentation to the city on a possible new uptown arena,
surprised associates.  City negotiator Boyd Cauble:  "It sure
came as a shock, to me and a lot of other people.  I did not see
Spencer as a problem."  Shinn does not plan to replace Stolpen.
In a separate piece, however, Bonnell writes the exit "wasn't a
complete shock," noting Stolpen's image as a basketball "amateur"
and the seeming failure of his biggest contract negotiation --
Larry Johnson's $84M deal (Rick Bonnell, CHARLOTTE OBSERVER,
5/23).