AREA SPORTS BUSINESSMEN JOCKEYING TO BUY CHARLOTTE COLISEUM

          Three of Charlotte's "sports powers made preliminary
     pitches" Friday to buy the Charlotte Coliseum, according to
     Alexander & Bonnell in the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER.  Hornets
     Owner George Shinn, NASCAR team owner Felix Sabates and
     Speedway Motorsports Chair Bruton Smith "intend to vie" for
     the arena.  While Sabates and Smith "didn't offer specific
     proposals," Shinn presented two "options" to the city.  One
     allows the Hornets to buy the arena and 156 acres of land
     for $30M, "roughly what's needed" to pay off the city's debt
     on the building.  The other plan would give the team a five-
     year lease, "allowing Shinn to run the building and receive
     all revenues" for annual rent payments of $1.4M.  Alexander
     & Bonnell report that Shinn wants a "commitment" from the
     city by June 24 (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 5/24).