<ARTICLE> 5
       
                                                  
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998             DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1998             DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                      41,487,000               6,143,000
<SECURITIES>                                         0                       0
<RECEIVABLES>                              478,320,000             279,103,000
<ALLOWANCES>                                61,848,000              30,695,000
<INVENTORY>                                 23,470,000              15,766,000
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                           559,542,000             302,204,000
<PP&E>                                     341,446,000             242,005,000
<DEPRECIATION>                             108,109,000              69,167,000
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                           1,915,581,000           1,278,235,000
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                      174,464,000             102,450,000
<BONDS>                                    470,000,000             125,000,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                       0
<PREFERRED>                                          0                       0
<COMMON>                                        81,000                  78,000
<OTHER-SE>                                 481,731,000             428,752,000
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>             1,915,581,000           1,278,235,000
<SALES>                                              0                       0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                         1,204,894,000             760,997,000
<CGS>                                                0                       0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                            1,063,076,000             636,217,000
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0                       0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                            44,365,000              20,525,000
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                          82,627,000              28,214,000
<INCOME-PRETAX>                             56,922,000              95,239,000
<INCOME-TAX>                                41,580,000              40,212,000
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                         15,342,000              55,027,000
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                             12,744,000                       0
<CHANGES>                                    6,896,000                       0
<NET-INCOME>                                (4,298,000)             55,027,000
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    (0.05)                   0.71
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    (0.05)                   0.69