CHARLOTTE TELLS BRUTON SMITH COLISEUM NOT FOR SALE

          After Charlotte Motor Speedway Owner Bruton Smith
     "upped his bid" for the Charlotte Coliseum to $45M on
     Wednesday, city leaders yesterday sent the "message" to
     Smith that the Coliseum is not for sale, according to Dan
     Chapman in the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER.  City manager Pam Syfert:
     "At least for right now, the policy of the council is for
     negotiating a lease with [Hornets Owner] George Shinn and
     the Hornets.  So we are not taking any sale proposals." 
     Smith said yesterday he's "yet to talk" with Shinn about the
     possibility of negotiating a lease for the Hornets, but
     "said, however, that he and Shinn could coexist in the same
     building."  But the OBSERVER's Chapman notes the "Coliseum's
     landlord -- the city -- basically told Smith not to bother
     negotiating with Shinn" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/13).