CAT FIGHT OVER: BROWARD, PANTHERS REACH ACCORD ON ARENA

     The Panthers and Broward County reached an agreement for a
$212M arena, compromising on the guarantee the county wanted from
the team and agreeing to cut the cost of rising interest rates,
according to Karen Rafinski of the MIAMI HERALD.  On the issue of
interest payments, which would add $1M a year to the team's
costs, Broward agreed to a mix of taxable and tax-free bonds that
would reduce the Panthers' mortgage payment by $3.1M a year.
Broward will receive 20% of the profits from the bonds after the
team gets the first $14M. The agreement also calls for the county
to place a lien on luxury seating and other sources of revenue
with the Panthers having an option in five years to remove the
lien if those revenue sources are at least one and a half times
the amount needed.  The deal comes one day after county officials
walked out of a meeting, accusing the Panthers of trying "to
sweeten its own pot."  Details of the contract will be worked out
over the weekend (MIAMI HERALD, 5/24).