<ARTICLE> 5 <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> US DOLLAR <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 2,740 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 102,093 <ALLOWANCES> 2,781 <INVENTORY> 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 156,110 <PP&E> 156,681 <DEPRECIATION> 8,340 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,762,505 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 165,438 <BONDS> 400,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 200,000 <PREFERRED> 11 <COMMON> 348 <OTHER-SE> 232,279 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 1,762,505 <SALES> 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 239,571 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 191,580 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 51,993 <INCOME-PRETAX> (9,922) <INCOME-TAX> 4,100 <INCOME-CONTINUING> (5,822) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> (5,822) <EPS-PRIMARY> (0.17) <EPS-DILUTED> 0