<ARTICLE> 5 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS 3-MOS 9-MOS 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JUL-01-1998 JUL-01-1997 JAN-01-1998 JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1998 SEP-30-1997 SEP-30-1998 SEP-30-1997 <CASH> 3,541,678 0 0 0 <SECURITIES> 0 0 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 17,972,218 0 0 0 <ALLOWANCES> (1,669,995) 0 0 0 <INVENTORY> 0 0 0 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 27,747,369 0 0 0 <PP&E> 23,529,655 0 0 0 <DEPRECIATION> (6,488,578) 0 0 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 114,902,626 0 0 0 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 38,993,089 0 0 0 <BONDS> 38,705,446 0 0 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 0 0 <COMMON> 8,658 0 0 0 <OTHER-SE> 44,395,191 0 0 0 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 114,902,626 0 0 0 <SALES> 0 0 0 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 153,415,899 121,975,957 409,198,193 315,173,329 <CGS> 0 0 0 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 130,649,354 102,923,824 347,117,232 268,762,184 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 0 0 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 0 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 1,590,694 2,500,404 4,107,970 6,013,289 <INCOME-PRETAX> 1,966,700 204,549 4,316,087 (1,729,560) <INCOME-TAX> 454,766 111,091 1,035,916 (682,493) <INCOME-CONTINUING> 1,511,934 93,458 3,280,171 (1,047,067) <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 0 0 <CHANGES> 0 0 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 1,511,934 93,458 3,280,171 (1,047,067) <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.17 0.02 0.38 (0.25) <EPS-DILUTED> 0.15 0.01 0.33 (0.25)