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July 18, 2008
Two Local Stadium Projects Face Different Futures
The NY Sun
By Evan Weiner
Mayor Bloomberg on Bruce Ratner's controversial Atlantic Yards megaproject:
"The development in Brooklyn is going ahead," Bloomberg said in an interview Monday. "I think, given the economy, some of the construction will be a little bit slower. But the arena is going to get done on time, and the New Jersey team is going to move over there.
"I think it is going to be great for Brooklyn," he continued. "Brooklyn is a sports borough if there ever was one. If you take a look at the new Shea Stadium, the design is based on Ebbets Field. It is really a continuation of the sports legacy that New York has had."
Either Mayor Bloomberg actually believes that local team owners are footing the bill for new venues or he doesn't know when to stop lying, to a reporter who covers the business side of sports no less! Amazing.
Bloomberg said he thinks sports "should stand on its own" and "can stand on its owner" when it comes to owners such as the Steinbrenner family in the Bronx footing the bill for a new Yankee Stadium, Ratner in Brooklyn, and the Wilpon family in Queens picking up the tab for a new Mets ballpark. But the city (and state) is still heavily subsidizing the two new baseball parks and the Brooklyn arena with significant tax breaks, tax incentives, and funding for infrastructure (Bloomberg declined to comment on city subsidies).
NoLandGrab: Is it possible that the Mayor doesn't know that NYC's direct contribution to the Atlantic Yards project can be spent on land acquisition?
Posted by lumi at July 18, 2008 5:38 AM