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July 14, 2010
As Everyone Else Discovers Brooklyn, So Have Hoteliers
The New York Times
by Susan Stellin
The fantasy impact on hotel demand of Bruce Ratner's arena continues to get unquestioned play in the media.
Although there are plenty of high-rise condominiums and rental towers nearby (many still not completely occupied), the area’s retail options are mostly fast-food restaurants and discount stores, rather than the boutiques, cafes and restaurants that have made Brooklyn such a hot destination, first for residents and now tourists.
Hoyt Harper, a senior vice president of brand management for Sheraton, said this location was convenient to transportation hubs and would be well positioned to attract Nets fans when the new stadium opened nearby in Atlantic Yards.
“We’re two years ahead of the sports facility,” Mr. Harper said, “but we’ll be in a great location to capture the business that brings to the market.”
NoLandGrab: "The business that brings to the market?" We're not talking a Super Bowl, folks, we're talking a regular-season NBA game or a circus matinee. How many attendees at your average Knicks game are staying in Manhattan hotels? We'll wager that the number is tiny, and moreover, that they're hotel guests who happened to buy a game ticket, not vice versa.
Posted by eric at July 14, 2010 9:40 AM