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December 6, 2008
Answers From Brian Lehrer of WNYC, Part 3
NY Times City Room blog
Michael J. Gaynor
Question: I wonder if you happen to know if the Mets gave ANY serious thought to erecting their new ballpark in Brooklyn — rather than Flushing. We have Robert Moses to thank for the noisy, automobile-friendly, stadium-in-the-middle-of nowhere called Shea — but why did the Mets erect their NEW ballpark there?Had they put it in Brooklyn — where the Nets’ new arena is going up (ballparks belong downtown; football stadiums belong in huge parking lots), reporters from the four corners of the earth would be here to cover the fairy-tale-come-true story.
The Mets longstanding tradition of dropping the public relations ball … continues.
— Posted by Richard
Answer: I, too, like downtown baseball stadiums with cityscape views. Of all places, Pittsburgh’s PNC Park is a good recent model — beautifully situated with the Steel City skyline (such as it is) over the outfield wall. But in the case of New York, imagine the real estate battles à la Atlantic Yards, the pollution, and the additional public subsidies for anyplace that could fit the bill. Meanwhile, the name Citi Field is fast becoming a joke. Shall we rename it Taxpayer Field? Federal Reserve Park? Cover the infield with the Henry Paulson TARP?
Posted by amy at December 6, 2008 10:23 AM