Telephone Sales Open for Olympics

Telephone sales of tickets to 13 sports events at the Olympic Games open Saturday. Olympic Arts Festival tickets also will be available.

On opening weekend, telephone lines will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Prices range from $7 to $133. Consumers must purchase tickets with a Visa credit card.. Call (404) 744-1996.

It may be easier to get tickets than housing. WorldTravel Partners, the company designated by the Olympic organizing committee to handle travel arrangements for the Olympic Games Travel Network, says its inventory of hotel rooms within an 80-mile radius of Atlanta is virtually sold out. A spokesman said hotels are available up from 140 to 250 miles away. To participate in the network, call (214) 851-4010.

Other housing options are Great Manors (800-GUEST-96), an Atlanta-based real estate company that is handling apartments, condominiums, B&Bs;, homes and estates. A spokeswoman says all are within a 40-mile radius of downtown Atlanta; prices range $125 to $500-$600 per room per night.

Another source is Private Housing 1996 (770-455-0081), officially sanctioned private housing coordinator for the organizing committee. Private Housing has some apartments and condos left along with about 4,000 homes, all within a 45-mile radius of the Olympic Village; prices range $150 to $400 per bedroom per night.