<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM 10-K FOR YEAR ENDED 12/31/98 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <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> 35,183,405 17,234,130 <SECURITIES> 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 13,678,197 8,381,965 <ALLOWANCES> 0 0 <INVENTORY> 22,839,020 28,224,551 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 84,847,308 62,202,401 <PP&E> 443,722,829 344,655,169 <DEPRECIATION> (45,154,410) (31,313,969) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 489,949,240 382,281,485 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 40,886,954 27,144,276 <BONDS> 0 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 27 <COMMON> 303,453 260,044 <OTHER-SE> 408,368,622 296,477,656 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 489,949,240 382,281,485 <SALES> 399,548,083 311,672,557 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 399,548,083 311,672,557 <CGS> 121,081,247 95,639,436 <TOTAL-COSTS> 397,356,865 270,299,569 <OTHER-EXPENSES> (843,389) (394,270) <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> (1,624,569) (1,062,417) <INCOME-PRETAX> 4,659,176 42,829,675 <INCOME-TAX> 1,607,254 15,399,631 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 3,051,922 27,430,044 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 <CHANGES> 3,381,500 0 <NET-INCOME> (329,578) 27,430,044 <EPS-PRIMARY> (0.01) 1.07 <EPS-DILUTED> (0.01) 1.03