DESPITE DISPUTE, COUNTY TO ISSUE BONDS FOR BENGALS STADIUM

          In a "sign of confidence" over the Bengals' stadium
     deal, the Hamilton County commissioners Monday "tentatively
     approved" a $73M bond issuance to help fund the new
     riverfront facility, according to Barry Horstman of the
     CINCINNATI POST.  The commissioners authorized a team of
     seven bond underwriting firms to proceed with plans to begin
     selling the bonds next week as the first installment toward
     the $400M-plus football stadium project.  Horstman wrote,
     however, that "the commissioners' action -- a scaled back
     version of an initial" $323M bond plan -- "reveals caution
     and concerns related to the slim possibility that the
     stadium deal could collapse" (CINCINNATI POST, 1/6).