DADE COUNTY NOT TAKING ANY HEAT ON ARENA DEAL?

          The Heat spent $3.7M last year to defeat a referendum
     against their new arena on Biscayne Bay, and now the team
     wants to count that money as part of the cost of building
     the arena, according to Don Finefrock in the MIAMI HERALD. 
     Dade County, FL, "has said no, but the deal isn't final." 
     But, Raul Masvidal, the county's negotiator on the arena
     deal, says "all major differences have been resolved,"
     including whether to include the $3.7M in the cost of
     construction.  Masvidal: "We said no.  Plain and simple." 
     The Heat have declined to confirm an agreement.  Heat
     spokesperson Steve Watson: "We are still negotiating. ... We
     see that certainly as part of the project, we ought to share
     in those costs" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/14).