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September 3, 2009
It Came from the Blogosphere... (late night edition)
Field of Schemes, Ratner seeking to be Huizenga of the north?
NetsDaily has posted a long FAQ on the future of the New Jersey Nets, whose owner, Bruce Ratner, has them up for sale at the same time as he's trying to move them to a new arena in Brooklyn. Ratner is reportedly looking for both a "premium" sale price and for the new owners to pay a "large annual lease" to play in his new Barclays Center, which he hopes to have open any decade now. Since Ratner would get to keep revenues from all non-NBA events at the arena while also double-dipping from new owners, prospective buyers aren't likely to go for it unless they're severely stupid: One "team insider" said, according to NetsDaily, "In that scenario, Ratner sells the team, you get control of the team and the right to lose $20-$35 million a year on the team. Key to the franchise success is the arena, not the team."
If all this sounds familiar, by the way, it's because it's exactly what Wayne Huizenga did with the Florida Marlins in 1998, sticking new owner John Henry with a terrible lease and an even more terrible team. The difference there is that Huizenga snookered Henry into believing he'd be able to get a new stadium built in south Florida soon (it only ended up taking 14 years), whereas a new Nets owner would be settling into a new home with an awful lease.
NBC New York, Spice Up Show-and-Tell With a Nets Player
The money pit that is the proposed Nets arena in Brooklyn took another turn this week with team owner Bruce Ratner soliciting a new design team in an attempt to save face after the last idea was met with as much enthusiasm as a Pauly Shore movie. That's not the only idea the Nets have up their sleeve to try and curry favor with the public, though.
They've unveiled a promotion in conjunction with the American Dairy Association that will allow one lucky kid between the ages of 6 and 13 to bring a member of the Nets with them to school for a day. While winning would obviously be an exciting moment for any youngster, can you imagine the perspiration that will ensue as the little champion tries to choose between such icons as Keyon Dooling, Jarvis Hayes and Yi Jianlian?
Yahoo Sports blog Ball Don't Lie also covered the story, prompting this comment by "Brandon M":
Just about the whole team gets taken to school on a nightly basis by the rest of the NBA.
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, Time for Action, Not Talk, From Yassky and de Blasio on Atlantic Yards
Councilmembers David Yassky and Bill de Blasio, whose districts abut the Atlantic Yards site, have yet to fully understand that talk is cheap, actions (or inactions) speak louder than words and a fundamental critique at this late stage of the Atlantic Yards fight is what is called for, not warmed over, out-dated rhetoric.
Brooklyn Heights Blog, New BHS Exhibit - Brooklyn Utopias?
Beginning October 1, The Brooklyn Historical Society presents Brooklyn Utopias an exhibit that will undoubtedly get folks in Brooklyn Heights talking.
The show will feature some of Tracy Collins's photos of the Atlantic Yards footprint, many of which he's been kind enough to allow us to reproduce here.
WHEN: Opening, Thursday, October 1, 2009. 5:30-7:30pm. Exhibit dates: October 2 – January 3, 2010.
WHERE: Brooklyn Historical Society; 128 Pierrepont St. (at Clinton St.); Brooklyn, NY 11201
The Local [Fort Greene/Clinton Hill], More Public Money for James Campaign
With less than two weeks to go before the Sept. 15 primary, City Councilwoman Letitia James received an additional $63,091 in public funds from the Campaign Finance Board, putting her ahead in the money race.
Delia Hunley-Adossa, one of Ms. James’ challengers, received $1,909 in public funds. Another competitor, Medhanie Estiphanos, who has not received public funds at all during this election cycle, did not get anything in this round of payment, either.
...With Wednesday’s infusion of public funds, Ms. James has $95,601 cash on hand, based on her last filing, keeping her ahead in the money race. Ms. Hunley-Adossa has $63,859 cash on hand and Mr. Estiphanos has $4,795.
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, Atlantic Yards: Coming Next Week--The Requisite Hubbub
Before you start your holiday weekend, we thought you should know what is going to happen next week, most likely.
Ratner will release new designs for his proposed arena, putting lipstick on a his boondoggle—for the sixth time. (They'll be released after the public comment period on his project has closed. And the release will be notable for something rather important—no designs for any of the rest of the project, which purportedly includes 16 towers and 6,430 housing units.)
This will be followed by the requisite hubbub of high praise and low raspberries.
Then the next day will come and everyone can remember that during the 6-year controversy over the Atlantic Yards plan, the look of the arena has not been the lynchpin of that controversy. And the fight will go on, looking forward to a big court date on October 14.
Posted by eric at September 3, 2009 10:43 PM