MARINERS PARK COST OVERRUNS PUSH PRICE TO ALMOST $500M

          The price of the Mariners' new ballpark jumped $81M
     Monday, according to Leslie Brown of the Tacoma NEWS
     TRIBUNE.  Mariners Chair John Ellis said that the "rapid
     pace of the project, last-minute design changes and simple
     miscalculations" have driven the ballpark's budget from
     $417M to $498M.  The ballpark was initially estimated at
     $280M.  Brown reports it will now be "the most expensive"
     sports facility "in the country."  Ellis reiterated on
     Monday that team ownership will pay all cost overruns, and
     that they will not be taken out of the team's operating
     revenues: "I'm stating once again that the Mariners will pay
     these cost overruns" (NEWS TRIBUNE, 7/21).