RINKS AROUND THE WORLD: NHL TO HELP CREATE MORE ICE TIME

          NHL Senior VP Steve Solomon told Bill Halls of the
     DETROIT NEWS that the league's new deal with Mentmore
     Holdings to build ice and in-line rinks nationwide is a
     "combination of research and our instinct.  It became clear
     that there is a need for ice time and there is not a
     sufficient amount of ice."  The league has been "pleased
     with public response" to the first ice rink, in Birch Run,
     MI, and plans to build 100 rinks around the U.S.  Birch Run
     Manager Greg Scott: "We have people who drive an hour and a
     half to two hours all the time.  In fact, we've had people
     drives as many as seven hours to come here.  It's in use
     from 6 a.m. to midnight every day" (DETROIT NEWS, 5/21).