HIGH FIVE: GROUPS SUBMIT BIDS TO PURCHASE ROYALS

          Royals CEO David Glass and Bacardi Ltd. board member
     Facundo Bacardi submitted their final bids to buy the team
     "[a]s expected" yesterday, according to Steve Rock of the
     K.C. STAR, who writes that "sources" indicate that a "total
     of at least five offers trickled in," including one from
     former bidder Miles Prentice.  Rock writes that the
     remaining bidders "have not been publicly identified," but
     sources said that the "heightened interest" in the team
     "will boost the final price of the club" into the $80M
     range.  Royals BOD spokesperson Rob Merritt: "We're not
     going to comment on the bids."  Prentice, on meeting the
     required deadline: "I'm still energized.  We feel very good
     about what we're doing."  Rock adds that the unknown
     bidders, "believed to be no more than two, are out-of-
     towners" who, according to one source, each have a net worth
     "that's comparable to, or in excess of Glass'."  Rock notes
     that Glass "is considered the heavy favorite to win the
     board's endorsement" (K.C. STAR, 2/25).