SAN JOSE OKS COMPAQ FOR NAMING RIGHTS, EXTENDS SHARKS LEASE

          The San Jose Arena will become the Compaq Center at San
     Jose as part of a deal formally approved yesterday in which
     Houston-based Compaq will pay $3.13M per year over 15 years
     for the arena's naming rights, according to Barry Witt of
     SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS.  The revenue will be split between
     the city and the Sharks.  As part of the name change, the
     Sharks' lease was extended by ten years until 2018.   Also
     under the deal, the San Jose City Council gave preliminary
     approval to a plan "to put giant, illuminated signs on the
     roof of the building," but a "follow-up" vote is required
     next year.  The decision to sell the name was "not without
     controversy," as Council member Linda LeZotte said that "no
     issue had generated more e-mail to her office, with all
     correspondence against the new name" (MERCURY NEWS, 12/20).