The Wall Street Journal reports Barclays Center architect Frank Gehry recently laid off staff because Bruce Ratner told him “to put down his pencils” on the $4 billion Atlantic Yards project. Forest City Enterprises, Ratner’s parent company, won’t comment but noted previous statements that the project is on hold, pending completion of legal challenges. Meanwhile, the Observer reports Ratner has “cash flow” problems. http://www.netsdaily.com/?p=6913 --- Hmm, Ratner doesn't want to continue to pay its staff, but he thinks the tax payers should help pay for the stadium! Guess what, it aint happening in this economy. Patterson wants to tax SODA since NY needs all of the revenue they can get their hands on. And they are going to turn around and float tax-free bonds for a stadium people don't want? Riiiiight.
What are the financial implications (if any) to the NJSEA (who run and operate the Meadowlands) by the Nets if they were to move to the Rock?
The Nets would have to pay the NJSEA $12 million in penalties. The NBA would have to approve the move, and might not. As for the Gehry "firings", it now appears that this is yet another exaggeration by the critics. Report today has most of the architects not being fired but being moved to other projects. Nets fans should be aware that the latest tactic by the critics is to claim that the Nets can't draw fans in the metro area. YOu should understand what the implication of that criticism is.
All I've ever said was that it's a pipe dream to think that a state with such a huge budget problem in this economy will give the Nets a tax break. Aint happening, sorry.
The arena tax break deal is done. It was part of the ESDC and PACB approvals. Pay attention. Barclays Center also got exempted by the IRS on tax exempt construction bonding. Moreover, the new Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is NYC's Housing Commissioner...and has been an AY supporter from the beginning. It shouldn't surprise you to know (or maybe it would) that the city and state of New York want to encourage in any way possible large scale economic development in this economic environment. The city's construction unions recently announced they are willing to give back in their negotiations with developers and the price of building materials, including steel and premix concrete, are dropping as well. If you want to throw your support to the critics (35 people now live in the AY footprint), go ahead. Their latest tack is trying to prove the Nets wouldn't be able to gain fan support in Brooklyn either. And you should know what the consequences of that are.
[video=youtube;T3af8GAPWVY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3af8GAPWVY&feature=related[/video] If they can sell out games for hockey imagine for basketball and I've been there and let me tell u its way way way way better than IZOD