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December 26, 2009
Brooklyn’s Top 10 Sports Stories of the Decade
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
By John Torenli
2. Coming Soon?
Ratner Promises To Bring Nets to BrooklynWe’re obviously still waiting (and waiting) for the first major pro sports franchise in our borough since 1957.
But Downtown real estate magnate and Cleveland native Bruce Ratner is getting closer and closer to delivering — as evidenced by the New York State Court of Appeals’ decision earlier this month to approve the state’s use of eminent domain at Atlantic Yards.
“Once again the courts have made it clear that this project represents a significant public benefit for the people of Brooklyn and the entire city,” said Ratner, who headed up the ownership group that purchased the New Jersey Nets from YankeeNets for approximately $300 million back in 2003.
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If the Nets are playing ball in Brooklyn sometime in the next few seasons, they’ll surely be the No. 1 local sports story of the coming decade and perhaps the new century.
NoLandGrab: Actually what we've learned from the recent Court of Appeals ruling is that the Eminent Domain law is so weak in New York that just about any benefit is sufficient justification for takings by the state. The promises of affordable housing and promises of jobs used as political cover for Atlantic Yards remain vague and pushed far into the future.
Posted by steve at December 26, 2009 6:45 AM