<ARTICLE>                     5
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1000
<CURRENCY>                                     US DOLLARS
       
                                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                     1
<CASH>                                          1,665
<SECURITIES>                                        0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  89,211
<ALLOWANCES>                                    2,002
<INVENTORY>                                         0 
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                              153,358
<PP&E>                                        179,091
<DEPRECIATION>                                 26,994
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              1,709,686
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                         169,013
<BONDS>                                       400,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                               0 
<PREFERRED>                                        12 
<COMMON>                                          348 
<OTHER-SE>                                    243,815
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                1,709,686
<SALES>                                             0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                              237,189 
<CGS>                                               0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                 188,583 
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               (3,824)
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                2,400
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             56,647 
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                (4,217)
<INCOME-TAX>                                        0 
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            (1,817)
<DISCONTINUED>                                      0 
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                     0 
<CHANGES>                                           0 
<NET-INCOME>                                   (1,817)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                   (0.05)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                   (0.05)