<ARTICLE> 5 <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> US DOLLAR <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1997 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 10,336 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 96,492 <ALLOWANCES> 2,772 <INVENTORY> 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 176,811 <PP&E> 161,301 <DEPRECIATION> 12,786 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,880,776 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 143,708 <BONDS> 600,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 200,000 <PREFERRED> 46 <COMMON> 392 <OTHER-SE> 232,279 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 1,880,776 <SALES> 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 364,317 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 285,614 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 77,342 <INCOME-PRETAX> (10,091) <INCOME-TAX> 4,170 <INCOME-CONTINUING> (5,921) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> (5,921) <EPS-PRIMARY> (0.17) <EPS-DILUTED> 0