JUST WHAT INNER HARBOR NEEDS -- ANOTHER NEW SPORTS FACILITY

          Downtown Baltimore's west side "could be the home of a
     third new sports complex" should the city follow through on
     a study to be released today "that recommends spending up
     to" $200M to build a replacement for the Baltimore Arena,
     according to Gerard Shields of the Baltimore SUN.  The study
     recommends tearing down the 11,200-seat Baltimore Arena and
     "offers three options: building a 19,000-seat arena, a
     17,000-seat or a 12,000-seat site that could be expanded." 
     Shields: "The key to which scenario the city adopts will
     depend on whether Baltimore can recruit an NBA or NHL team." 
     City officials said that "discussions are underway with
     several basketball teams interested in moving," but also
     "stressed" that current city tax dollars "would not be used
     to build the arena."  City hotel, sales, admission and
     parking taxes, state lottery proceeds, grants and forming a
     regional asset district were indicated as "sources that
     could be tapped" for funding (Baltimore SUN, 4/14).