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August 6, 2008
Bender Backbends to Backtrack on Atlantic Yards Timeline
From Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn (dddb.net):
The Observer has Forest City Ratner veep Bruce Bender twisting himself in knots trying to tamp down the reality of what FCR president Bruce Ratner told investors at a June annual meeting, as reported today on the Atlantic Yards Report: ground on the the Barclays Boondoggle Arena won't be broken until January and then it will take 2.5 years to construct, so it won't open until mid-2011 at the earliest. (Oder also explains how 2011 is also unrealistic.)
Presumably the developer is more honest with investors than the general public, what with that SEC thing and all.
But that doesn't stop Bender from telling the NY Observer this:
"It is not a new schedule. I think Bruce was just stating that the schedule in place is in fact very aggressive. We plan to break ground this fall and are working to open in calendar year 2010. While that's the goal, if it is not met then it would end up being calendar year 2011."
...
How does Bender et al. plan on breaking ground for the arena in the fall, or January for that matter, if Forest City Ratner will not own the property it needs for the arena by those dates?
NoLandGrab: Right... if last month's slip up to investors "is not a new schedule," what's the new schedule gonna look like?
Posted by lumi at August 6, 2008 4:15 AM