HOME DEPOT MAKES IT OFFICIAL: $50M OLYMPIC SPONSORSHIP

          The Home Depot officially reaffirmed its membership in
     the Olympic movement Thursday with a $50M commitment, over
     eight years, of cash, products and jobs, according to Mike
     Gorrell of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE.  It marks OPUS' fifth
     integrated marketing sponsorship so far, and it "hopes to
     sign up 11 by year's end."  Gorrell adds that Home Depot's
     deal is "unique because it includes the Canadians" national
     Olympic teams (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 10/17).
          NOTES: The City of Tampa will officially make an
     Olympic bid Monday for the 2012 Games when its submits a
     nonrefundable $150,000 application fee to the USOC and joins
     as many as 11 other cities (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 10/17)....The
     USOC is sub-leasing office space from the L.A. Sports
     Council, where it will work with the USOC's Southern CA
     Olympic Organization to raise $2.5M to support the U.S.
     Olympic teams during the '97-2000 quadrennium (LA Sports).