NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) June 1, 2000--Standard&Poor's assigned its single-'A'-minus rating to Colorado Springs, Colo.'s $62.745 million revenue bonds series 2000, issued for Memorial Hospital of Colorado Springs. The bonds are scheduled to sell June 12, 2000. The rating reflects the hospital's ownership by the city of Colorado Springs, a stable and well-tenured management team with a new CEO search underway, growing patient utilization corresponding with favorable local demographic and economic trends, and sound financial performance. The preceding strengths are tempered by moderate competition with increasing managed care pressure and increased pro forma debt. In addition, there is uncertainty about the city's future ownership of the hospital and potential transfers of assets to the city from
