<ARTICLE> 5 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 APR-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997 JUN-30-1997 <CASH> 9,129,138 9,129,138 <SECURITIES> 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 99,161,896 99,161,896 <ALLOWANCES> 4,213,059 4,213,059 <INVENTORY> 5,064,238 5,064,238 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 116,850,502 116,850,502 <PP&E> 76,723,807 73,723,807 <DEPRECIATION> 24,832,100 24,832,100 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 358,646,570 358,646,570 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 27,292,972 27,292,972 <BONDS> 175,629,792 175,629,792 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 <COMMON> 250,257 250,257 <OTHER-SE> 155,473,549 155,473,549 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 358,646,570 358,646,570 <SALES> 0 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 148,380,503 77,273,282 <CGS> 0 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 70,998,558 36,672,989 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 4,238,674 2,047,197 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 3,978,874 2,154,831 <INCOME-PRETAX> 20,348,281 10,793,682 <INCOME-TAX> 7,582,832 4,047,631 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 12,765,449 6,746,051 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 <CHANGES> 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 12,765,449 6,746,051 <EPS-PRIMARY> .50 .26 <EPS-DILUTED> .50 .26