THE PROPOSAL

Leaders at Bank of America, Wachovia and Duke Energy have offered to provide $100 million for construction of a new uptown arena that would open in 2004. The businesses would receive about $50 million in city-owned property, including the old convention center uptown and the Charlotte Coliseum property off Tyvola Road. They also could recoup up to $50 million more on naming rights, beverage pouring rights, and premium seat deposits on a new arena.

THE COST

The city would have to come with at least $100 million. City Manager Pam Syfert will take the next couple of weeks to analyze the numbers and where the public money would come from. Mayor Pat McCrory has said the hotel/motel tax and a new seat tax could generate a large share of the city's portion of the deal.

THE HORNETS

Co-owners George Shinn and Ray Wooldridge signed a deal Thursday to move the team to New Orleans; they have had little to say about the new arena financing proposal in Charlotte. Any move by the Hornets to another city must be approved by a majority of the NBA's 29 teams.

WHAT'S NEXT

The banks and Duke Energy have given City Council until Feb. 11 to decide whether to accept the offer.