The price of Raleigh's Centennial Arena, future home of
     the Hurricanes and N.C. State Univ., has increased by $20M,
     putting the cost of the arena at $152M, according to Laurie
     Willis of the Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER.  Centennial Authority
     Chair Steve Stroud said the price increase "reflects
     construction delays caused by unusually wet weather that has
     slowed work."  Since the beginning of construction, there
     have been "well over" 60 bad weather work days.  Stroud
     "suggested" that the Authority might ask for more support
     from the city and Wake County. But Raleigh Mayor Tom Fetzer,
     who was already an opponent of the arena, said that he
     "doesn't plan to give another dime" to the project.  Fetzer:
     "Not in this lifetime.  This will be the third time they've
     gone to that well" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 6/5).  

          In Toronto, Nicolaas van Rijn reports that the Air
     Canada Centre is 60% "complete and on schedule -- eight
     months away from completion and its February, 1999, opening"
     (TORONTO STAR, 6/5)....Over 5,000 people attended the
     ceremony yesterday which renamed Granada Hills [CA] high
     school's football stadium after alumnus John Elway (DENVER
     POST, 6/5)....Philadelphia Attorney William Schwartz has
     filed a class-action lawsuit against Ogden Entertainment,
     concessionaire at the Vet, accusing them of "consumer fraud"
     (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/5)....In Dallas, Holly Cain
     reports that the TX Motor Speedway is getting "rave reviews"
     for its revamped oval track after yesterday's practice/
     qualifying session for this weekend's IRL-NASCAR Craftsman
     Truck Series doubleheader (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/5).

          WA-based Safeco Corporation and the Mariners announced
     an agreement to name the team's new ballpark Safeco Field. 
     Mariners President Chuck Armstrong, who said the team spoke
     to over two dozen companies, said the naming rights deal
     calls for $1.8M per year for 20 years, adjusted annually for
     inflation -- about $40M over the full commitment.  The deal
     is subject to approval by the Public Facilities District. 
     The 45,600-seat retractable roof stadium is scheduled to
     open in July '99 (Mariners).  As part of the deal, Safeco
     will get to put its signs at all the major entrances to the
     ballpark, as well as two "prominent locations" inside the
     building.  Safeco is "also expected to participate" in other
     promotions (David Schaefer, SEATTLE TIMES, 6/4).

          Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner "all but threatened
     last night to leave New York City" unless City Council
     Speaker Peter Vallone "abandoned his push for a referendum
     on whether city money should be used to help build a new
     ballpark," according to Norimitsu Onishi of the N.Y. TIMES. 
     Steinbrenner's remarks came after City Council leaders
     "unveiled their own plan for the city's next budget."  The
     Council and NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani "have been deadlocked
     over the budget" because of Giuliani's refusal to consider
     any changes proposed by the Council unless Vallone
     "abandoned his call for a public vote on the stadium issue." 
     Steinbrenner: "Politics has driven more team from New York
     City than any of us care to remember. ... I do not want to
     move the Yankees from New York, but I must warn: [Vallone]
     is bringing us dangerously close."  Steinbrenner's words
     were "the strongest he has used so far in the subject of the
     team's future home."  Vallone responded to Steinbrenner by
     saying that, "Yankee Stadium is a good debate and everyone
     should have a say in it (N.Y. TIMES, 6/5).