PENGUINS FILE LAWSUITS TO IMPROVE CHANCES OF REWORKING LEASE

          The Penguins "are seeking to dissolve two legal
     obstacles preventing them from trying to leave" Pittsburgh,
     according to Ann Belser of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE.  The
     team's first move was a lawsuit filed last week seeking to
     break a '97 deal to stay at Civic Arena for 10 years in
     exchange for $12.9M in publicly-funded arena improvements.
     The team also asked Bankruptcy Judge Bernard Markovitz to
     "lift his order forbidding the team from holding discussions
     with out-of-town interests," saying that if they have no
     leverage, arena operator SMG "will have no incentive to
     renegotiate" the current lease deal.  A hearing is scheduled
     on the Penguins' most recent legal actions on March 19. 
     Meanwhile, SMG President Wes Westley said that SMG "might be
     willing to take a minority ownership role in a plan to
     reorganize the team" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 2/17).