TOUGH FINANCIAL SLEDDING FOR '95 OLYMPIC FESTIVAL

     With only eight days until opening events, the '95 Olympic
Festival in Denver is facing a rough financial situation where
"bills are barely getting paid and corporate sponsors (are) slow
to pay their pledges," according to the DENVER POST.  Ticket
sales are currently at $1.3M, down significantly from earlier
projections of $2.4M.  Although sales are expected to increase,
the goal still may not be reached.  Organizers had hoped for a
$50M boost to the local economy.  Tim Leiweke, Festival Co-Chair,
is credited with the recent improvement in ticket sales and
corporate contributions.  Some potential large local sponsors,
like Coors and Pepsi-Cola, have been unable to contribute to the
festival because of USOC rules prohibiting the Festival from
being sponsored by a competitor of an official '96 Olympic
sponsor.  Leiweke:  "It would have been nice if we could have
done our own deals, but we just have to live with this" (Chance
Conner, DENVER POST, 7/13)