HEAT ARENA PLANS TO COME FIRST, WNBA NEXT

          Miami "won't be among" the WNBA's two expansion teams
     next summer, according to Barry Jackson of the MIAMI HERALD. 
     Heat President of Business Ops Jay Cross says the Heat
     "decided to concentrate on the construction" of its new
     arena "before pursuing a WNBA team."  Cross: "It's best that
     we wait until we have the new arena."  Jackson added that
     the Heat "is having enough trouble just negotiating its own
     lease for the 1998-99 season.  Cross said discussions are
     'moving slowly' but he isn't discouraged -- yet."  The team
     is hopeful that construction of the bayfront arena will
     start in January and be completed by the start of the '99-
     2000 season.  In other Heat news, Cross added that the team
     has "topped last season's season-ticket sales" of 8,700, and
     he said that it "won't replace" Exec VP Pauline Winick, who
     will retire on October 1 (MIAMI HERALD, 9/14).