Continental in no hurry to sell ExpressJet stake-CEO = = = = Tuesday June 3, 6:57 PM EDT = HOUSTON, June 3 (Reuters) - Continental Airlines Inc. (CAL) is in no hurr= y to sell its controlling stake in ExpressJet Holdings Inc. (XJT), Contin= ental's top executive said on Tuesday. Continental Chairman and Chief Executive Gordon Bethune also said he did = not think the 53.1-percent stake in the regional airline would be sold to= just one buyer. "I would doubt very seriously we would sell that in one piece. That's a c= ontrolling interest," Bethune said on Tuesday, after he dedicated Contine= ntal's new international terminal at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airp= ort. "At the same time, we are interested in maximizing its value. It's a= tremendously valuable piece of property." A recent regulatory filing by ExpressJet, which No. 5 U.S. carrier Contin= ental spun off last year, says the stake was worth $410 million. = But that is not what interested buyers are offering, and Bethune said Con= tinental was willing to hold out for better offers. "We are certainly not going to do it unless it gives us optimum value. Th= e market's going to tell you when to go. There's a lot of people interest= ed in it, but way too cheap," Bethune said. Continental has long said it plans to divest its stake in the feeder airl= ine, which derives most of its revenue from an exclusive agreement to pro= vide regional jet service from Continental's hubs. Airline analysts recently said that Continental's improved cash position,= which was $1.18 billion at the end of the first quarter, gives it the fl= exibility to hold onto its stake. = =A92003 Reuters Limited. = Roger EWROPS