Bell Atlantic to Provide Telecom Services for Atlantic City Convention Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 1996

NEW JERSEY SPORTS AUTHORITY REACHES AGREEMENT
WITH BELL ATLANTIC

Atlantic City Convention Center to Become the Most
Advanced in the Nation

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - The New Jersey Sports and
Exposition Authority
(NJSEA) today announced a multi-million dollar agreement in principle
with Bell Atlantic to provide telecommunications and computer
networking services for floor exhibitors and administrators at the new
$268 million Atlantic City Convention Center. This agreement will
give exhibitors access to information technology services that are
unmatched today by any other convention center in the country.

"This agreement between the Sports Authority and Bell Atlantic will
mean that the new Convention Center will offer the best possible
telecommunications services and the most cost-effective prices to our
future customers," said Robert Mulcahy, president of the New Jersey
Sports and Exposition Authority.

"This public/private partnership will be tremendous for Atlantic
City
and economic development in New Jersey," said Joe Cascio, vice
president - marketing, Bell Atlantic Large Business Services. "By
providing exhibitors the most advanced methods to display their
products and services, Atlantic City should be able to attract the
biggest and best trade shows and conventions with the nation's
premiere conference center."

When the convention center opens in May 1997, Bell Atlantic Large
Business Services plans to provide digital Centrex telephone service,
toll calls, voice mail, and integrated
services digital network (ISDN)
capabilities, while Bell Atlantic Network Integration (BANI) plans to
offer consulting, outsourcing and technology services to the
exhibitors. BANI also plans to design and build the facility's
network. Together, the initial Bell Atlantic and BANI agreements are
valued at approximately $4 million over five years.

"Exhibitors will be able to tap into BANI's technical expertise and
take advantage of our intelligent network in imaginative new ways,"
said Rick Meares, vice president - operations, Bell Atlantic Network
Integration. "We are excited about the opportunities that the
agreement presents. This proposed partnership with the Sports and
Exposition Authority will set a new standard for convention center
technology across the nation."

"The new Atlantic City Convention Center is the Northeast's business
address of the future," said Marshall Murdaugh, executive director
of
the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority. "Today's
agreement means that convention planners and trade show managers can
be assured that the communications needs of their exhibitors and
attendees will be met better here than at any other facility in the
country."

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority oversees the financing,
construction and operation of the Atlantic City Convention Centers.

Bell Atlantic Network Integration offers services covering the full
network life-cycle of the planning, implementation, management and
operation of enterprise networks. This includes consultation,
integration, outsourcing, and ongoing support of enterprise networks.
In a recent study, Information Week recognized BANI as one of the top
10 network integrators in the industry, and in a 1995 company profile,
Dataquest characterized BANI as an industry player to watch. In May of
this year, Bell Atlantic Network Integration was one of five founding
partners in The Pinnacle Alliance, an agreement valued at over $2
billion to manage parts of J.P. Morgan's global technology
infrastructure.

Bell Atlantic Corporation (NYSE: BEL) is at the forefront of the new
communications, entertainment and information industry. In the
mid-Atlantic region, the company is the premier provider of local
telecommunications and advanced services. Globally, it is one of the
largest investors in the high-growth wireless communication
marketplace. Bell Atlantic also owns a substantial interest in
Telecom Corporation of New Zealand and is actively developing
high-growth national and international business opportunities in all
phases of the industry.

The company's Large Business Services organization offers customers
Bell Atlantic All@once Solutions: integrated voice, data and video
applications and the professional consulting and support services that
add up to a precise solution that fits and evolves to meet customers'
specific communications needs.

####
Media contacts:

New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority
John Samerjan, (201) 842-5016

Bell Atlantic Network Integration: Kate Burns, (610) 407-2036
kate.burns@bani.com

Bell Atlantic: Shannon Fioravanti, (703) 974-5455
shannon.l.fioravanti@bell-atl.com

Hill and Knowlton, Inc.: Michele Melillo (212) 885-0481
mmelillo@hillandknowlton.com