WILL ARENA DEAL DELAY PUT HEAT AT CORPORATE DISADVANTAGE?

          Negotiators for the Heat and Dade County, FL, have "yet
     to agree on the final terms of the $165 million deal," and
     "construction of the arena might begin next fall, not this
     summer, as team executives had once hoped," according to Don
     Finefrock of the MIAMI HERALD.  The late start might have
     the Heat entering their area after the Panthers move into
     their new facility in Sunrise.  But Jay Cross, President of
     Business Operations for the Heat, said that "will not put
     the Heat at a competitive disadvantage," even though both
     teams will be "fishing the same corporate waters to sell
     luxury boxes and premium seating."  Cross: "I don't really
     see it as an early bird gets the worm situation ... We will
     still be in the marketplace at the same time."  Finefrock
     reports that one of the "chief issues" still to be resolved
     involves team concerns about how third-party lenders will
     view the deal" (MIAMI HERALD, 2/25).