VEGAS WASN'T BUILT ON WINNERS: TRIPLE-A WORLD SERIES OK'D

          The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA)
     voted unanimously to sponsor the Triple-A World Series at
     $750,000 for each of the next three years, according to
     Hubble Smith of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL.  The five-game
     series between the champions of the Int'l League and the PCL
     is set for mid-September at Cashman Field.  Rossi
     Ralenkotter, LVCVA VP/Marketing, projects a 50% "return on
     investment of about" $1.1M in value for '98, climbing each
     year to "about" $1.3M in 2000.  ESPN2 will provide live
     national coverage for the games, to be played in front of
     10,000 fans.  The event is projected to have a nongaming
     economic impact of $5.5M (REVIEW-JOURNAL, 3/11).  For title
     sponsorship, the LVCVA receives a radio and TV package worth
     more than $1.6M over the three-year deal; an advertising
     package worth $2M and 100 tickets to each game.  There will
     also be a "Las Vegas Night" in every Triple-A ballpark
     during the course of the season (LAS VEGAS SUN, 3/11).