<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000

<S>                        <C>                <C>                 <C>               <C>               <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 12-MOS            12-MOS              3-MOS              6-MOS              9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>           DEC-31-1997     DEC-31-1998         DEC-31-1998          DEC-31-1998     DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                DEC-31-1997     DEC-31-1998         MAR-31-1998          JUN-30-1998     SEP-30-1998
<CASH>                      $   25,549          50,338              35,605               29,089          49,065
<SECURITIES>                         0               0                   0                    0               0
<RECEIVABLES>                   13,403          37,904              29,511                7,803           7,054
<ALLOWANCES>                       455             496                 745                  195             195
<INVENTORY>                          0               0                   0                    0               0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                     0               0                   0                    0               0
<PP&E>                          16,505          34,921              18,696               22,923          30,644
<DEPRECIATION>                   8,870          13,870               9,618               10,892          13,707
<TOTAL-ASSETS>               2,373,131       2,587,345           3,283,844            3,092,029       3,831,484
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                0               0                   0                    0               0
<BONDS>                        890,949       1,595,550           1,104,189            1,249,431       1,561,244
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                0               0                   0                    0               0
<PREFERRED>                          0               0                   0                    0               0
<COMMON>                         1,827           2,456               2,141                2,147           2,307
<OTHER-SE>                     406,673         582,951             588,903              609,254         666,787
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 2,373,131       2,587,345           3,283,844            3,092,029       3,831,484
<SALES>                              0               0                   0                    0               0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>               320,769         471,961              99,378              227,608         384,347
<CGS>                                0               0                   0                    0               0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                        0               0                   0                    0               0
<OTHER-EXPENSES>               140,211         247,911              36,937               82,109         141,805
<LOSS-PROVISION>                16,764          29,634               6,847               13,565          18,731
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>              98,861         191,878              39,919               90,548         146,766
<INCOME-PRETAX>                 64,933           2,538              15,675               41,386          77,045
<INCOME-TAX>                    25,822           3,868               6,327               16,614          29,205
<INCOME-CONTINUING>             39,111          (1,330)              9,348               24,772          47,840
<DISCONTINUED>                  17,113         (67,841)              4,701                8,937         (13,373)
<EXTRAORDINARY>                      0               0                   0                    0               0
<CHANGES>                            0               0                   0                    0               0
<NET-INCOME>                    56,224         (69,171)             14,049               33,709          34,467
<EPS-BASIC>                       1.59           (1.61)               0.36                 0.83            0.82
<EPS-DILUTED>               $     1.53           (1.61)               0.35                 0.80            0.80


</TABLE>