RAPTORS NOT INTERESTED IN JOINING LEAFS AT NEW GARDENS

          The Maple Leafs will announce this morning that they
     want to "extend an olive branch" to the Raptors by becoming
     business partners in the construction of a new Maple Leaf
     Gardens, according to Marty York of the Toronto GLOBE &
     MAIL.  The Leafs are studying a site above Union Station,
     one block from the Raptors' Air Canada Centre, which has
     begun construction.  Raptors President Richard Peddie:
     "We're a little amazed with the Leafs."  Peddie said that
     the Leafs "never mentioned Union Station" during site
     negotiations before February.  Peddie: "We have $80-million
     invested in this site.  We have two months of construction
     behind us already" (GLOBE & MAIL, 4/17).  MLG VP & Project
     Dir Tom Anselmi says that he doesn't think the Raptors "were
     nearing the point of no return" on making a decision to join
     the Leafs (Lance Hornby, TORONTO SUN, 4/17).