INDIANS AID GATEWAY BY PAYING $441,000 RENT

          The Indians will pay over $441,000 in back rent to help
     keep Gateway Economic Development Corp. from encountering
     foreclosure, according to David Adams of the AKRON BEACON
     JOURNAL.  After approving the Indians' payment plan,
     Gateway's board gave the team approval to construct a 627-
     seat addition to Jacobs Field's bleacher section, permission
     that Gateway "held over the team's head" in an attempt to
     get additional rent.  The team claimed it overpaid its '95
     rent and was deducting that from its '96 payment.  But
     yesterday's deal has the Indians paying the disputed rent
     and now must count income generated by future exhibition
     games and next summer's All-Star Game "as well as more of
     the income from postseason play," to its rent formulation. 
     The deal comes after Gateway's December 9 deal with the Cavs
     in which the team agreed to pay $7M in disputed construction
     costs on Gund Arena (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 12/19).