« Barclays Center becomes first food service venue to voluntarily comply with new rules limiting size of sugary beverages (but what about that unlimited food option?) | Main | Bloomberg's Soda Ban Victory Lap: "Biggest Step A City Has Taken To Curb Obesity" »
September 14, 2012
Markowitz on the "good jobs" at the Barclays Center: "if you don't have a job, you can't pooh-pooh it"
Atlantic Yards Report
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, speaking at a Brooklyn Public Library "Power Up Breakfast" 9/12/12, offered continuing rhetoric about the jobs at the Barclays Center and a new--though questionable--defense.
"Sports brings us together as a community and as a nation," Markowitz said. "It's the social thread that binds us together and gives us something we can collectively take pride in."
Sure, people may be interested in a team, and enjoy watching it. But should we be taking pride in a privately-run sports entertainment corporation?
Markowitz on jobs
"Traditionally, sports stimulate our economy and create jobs. Thanks to the magnificent Barclays Center.... roughly 2000 New Yorkers will have good jobs, full and part-time jobs, that will bring in money and create jobs for many local businesses as well, surrounding the area," Markowitz declared.
Whether they're good jobs is very much in doubt, since part-time workers without other income would likely qualify for food stamps, as I've written.
But Markowitz was undeterred. "Now, those who oppose the arena pooh-pooh jobs, but you know what--if you don't have a job, you can't pooh-pooh it," he said.
NoLandGrab: Oh, yeah?! Just watch us. Pooh, pooh; pooh, pooh.
Posted by eric at September 14, 2012 11:13 AM