NEWS RELEASE
- ------------

          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
          ---------------------
          OCTOBER 4, 2000


Contact LAMAR:                                                   Contact BOWLIN:
Keith Istre                                          Michael L. Bowlin, Chairman
Chief Financial Officer                                           (505) 266-5985
(225) 926-1000                                    Rudy R. Miller, Chairman & CEO
                                                                The Miller Group
                                              Investor Relations for the Company
                                                                  (602) 225-0504


              LAMAR ADVERTISING COMPANY SIGNS DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT
                         TO ACQUIRE ALL OF THE STOCK OF
            BOWLIN OUTDOOR ADVERTISING & TRAVEL CENTERS INCORPORATED

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA AND ALBUQUERQUE,  NEW MEXICO, OCTOBER 4, 2000 -- Kevin P.
Reilly,   Jr.,  Chairman,   President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Lamar
Advertising Company (NASDAQ: LAMR), and Michael L. Bowlin,  Chairman,  President
and Chief  Executive  Officer of BOWLIN  Outdoor  Advertising  & Travel  Centers
Incorporated  (AMEX:  BWN),  jointly announced today that Lamar, a leading owner
and  operator of outdoor  advertising  and logo sign  displays,  entered  into a
definitive agreement and plan of merger with BOWLIN Outdoor Advertising & Travel
Centers Incorporated  (BOWLIN).  At the effective time of the merger, all of the
outstanding  shares of BOWLIN will be converted  into 725,000  shares of Lamar's
Class A common  stock.  In connection  with the merger,  Lamar will assume up to
$14.5  million  in BOWLIN  debt.  BOWLIN has the right to  terminate  the merger
agreement  if the average  closing  sales price of Lamar's  Class A common stock
over a 30 trading day period prior to closing is less than $40.00 per share. The
merger is subject to approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements
Act,  shareholder  approval  and  the  satisfaction  of  various  other  closing
conditions.

Mr.  Reilly  stated,  "BOWLIN is a well run company with a great  collection  of
outdoor assets in New Mexico, Texas and Arizona."

Mr. Bowlin added,  "We have great respect for Kevin Reilly,  his management team
and the job they have  accomplished  in building Lamar into a national leader in
the outdoor  advertising  industry.  The merger is a perfect fit for all parties
with the  stock-for-stock  transaction  that we believe  has  tremendous  upside
potential for our shareholders."

                                                                         more...

Lamar Advertising Company Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire All of the
Stock of BOWLIN Outdoor Advertising & Travel Centers Incorporated
October 4, 2000
Page 2

In connection with the proposed merger,  BOWLIN will transfer certain assets not
associated  with the outdoor  advertising  operations,  including  the corporate
headquarters  building and travel center operations,  to a newly formed company,
Bowlin  Travel  Centers,  Inc.  BOWLIN  anticipates  registering  Bowlin  Travel
Centers,  Inc. as a reporting  company under the  Securities and Exchange Act of
1934.  Immediately  prior  to the  closing  of the  merger,  BOWLIN  intends  to
distribute the stock of Bowlin Travel  Centers,  Inc. to shareholders of BOWLIN.
As a result,  Bowlin Travel  Centers,  Inc. would become an  independent  public
reporting company at the close of the transaction.

Phoenix-based Miller Capital  Corporation,  a part of The Miller Group, acted as
financial  advisor  to  BOWLIN  for  the  transaction.   Sanders  Morris  Harris
headquartered  in Houston  issued the fairness  opinion to BOWLIN  regarding the
merger.

Lamar  Advertising  Company is a leading outdoor  advertising  company currently
operating 150 outdoor advertising  companies in 43 states, logo franchises in 20
states and the province of Ontario, Canada and 31 transit-advertising franchises
in nine states.

BOWLIN,  as a regional  leader in  non-metro  markets  for  outdoor  advertising
displays,  provides  a full  range  of  service  that  includes  sales,  design,
production  and   installation.   The  Company  also  operates   travel  centers
strategically  located on major  interstate  highways  that utilize  co-branding
agreements with national companies. The Company's current operations are located
in the Southwestern United States.

     CERTAIN STATEMENTS  CONTAINED HEREIN WITH RESPECT TO FACTORS WHICH MAY
     AFFECT FUTURE EARNINGS, INCLUDING MANAGEMENT'S BELIEFS AND ASSUMPTIONS
     BASED  ON  INFORMATION   CURRENTLY   AVAILABLE,   ARE  FORWARD-LOOKING
     STATEMENTS MADE PURSUANT TO THE SAFE HARBOR  PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE
     SECURITIES   LITIGATION  REFORM  ACT  OF  1995.  SUCH  FORWARD-LOOKING
     STATEMENTS   THAT  ARE  NOT   HISTORICAL   FACTS   INVOLVE  RISKS  AND
     UNCERTAINTIES, AND RESULTS COULD VARY MATERIALLY FROM THE DESCRIPTIONS
     CONTAINED HEREIN. FOR MORE DETAILS ON RISK FACTORS,  SEE THE COMPANY'S
     ANNUAL REPORTS ON FORM 10-K,  QUARTERLY REPORTS ON FORM 10-Q AND OTHER
     FILINGS WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.