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[Dan]

If people wanted to knock down my house to put a basketball arena there, you're damn right I would try to squeeze out every penny I could.

That is why the Yankees, Mets, Jets & Giants, Cyclones & SI Yanks, were smart with the locations they picked.

Mets built in the parking lot of Shea Stadium. Jets & Giants did the same in the Meadowlands. SI Yanks bought an abandoned rail yard. Yankees & Cyclones bought the property from NYC.
The Nets are trying to evict people from the homes when they could have found another place that was not residential buildings.
(I don't know what the land Prudential Center is built on used to be, so no comment.)

[Dan]

N.J. Sports Authority faces $30M budget gap despite cuts to operations, payroll
By Ted Sherman/The Star-Ledger

After losing a basketball team, Major League Soccer & 2 NFL teams, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority has sacked more than 2 dozen people - many tied to the games no longer being played at the Meadowlands Sports Complex. NJSEA has cut payroll by $1.3M since Oct. Officials say they are also working to cut operations costs, with the NJSEA still facing a major budget deficit they say will require $30M in state funding. Since Oct., the number of people on the authority has dropped to 160, down from 185, & the payroll has dipped to $11.3M, from $12.6M. Of those who remain, 32 make more than $100,000 a year. Jobs lost include those in stadium operations for Giants Stadium, luxury suite marketing, sales & guest services. In addition, the authority has also cut a large number of workers such as electricians & carpenters who weren't state employees but did affect the agency’s overall labor costs.

"It’s been a continuing process," NJSEA spokesman John Samerjan said of the cutbacks. "There was a reduction after Giants Stadium closed last year & there were some more with the end of the basketball season at IZOD Center."

The Nets have played their last game at IZOD, announcing they will play the next 2 seasons at Prudential Center in Newark before leaving for Brooklyn to play in an arena that has yet to be built. The Red Bulls left the Meadowlands for a new soccer stadium in Harrison. And after leaving Giants Stadium & the lease they had with the state, the Giants & Jets next season will play at the adjacent 82,500-seat New Meadowlands Stadium, which won’t be under NJSEA control.

NJSEA, created by the Legislature in '71, operates the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, which includes Meadowlands Racetrack & IZOD Center. NJSEA has been under mounting financial pressure in recent years, in large part due to the collapse of the state’s horse racing industry that now operates at a loss. At the same time, NJSEA, which once could count on $20M in annual revenue from Giants Stadium, will receive just $6.3M in lease payments from the Jets & Giants next season. NJSEA still hasn’t finalized its 2010 budget, but told an legislative hearing in March it will seek $30M in state assistance. It had projected $238.5M in revenue last year & would have operated at a deficit without a $15M infusion in advance rent payments from the stalled Xanadu entertainment project.

Officials have declined to discuss the current budget until the state treasurer completes a review, but the financial picture suggests more red ink for the agency even with the payroll cuts. Suite revenues, once forecast at more than $3M, were already made dismal by the Nets horrendous season & will plummet without any sports team at IZOD. Money from Xanadu, which had pre-paid $160M in rent obligations before the retail & entertainment complex went south, have run out. NJSEA’s outstanding debt has already been taken off its books by NJ, which assumed those borrowing costs (now pegging at more than $56M annually) as part of the deal to replace Giants Stadium.

Authority officials say despite its loses, Meadowlands continues to contribute money to NJ. "Sales & income tax on the events, tickets, concessions & employment generated by the NJSEA is a significant contributor to the state treasury," said Dennis Robinson, president and CEO of NJSEA.

Senate Maj. Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex), who has been highly critical of NJSEA, accusing it of randomly allocating expenses & revenues to show a profit, is expecting a report from the office of the State Auditor in the coming weeks which she expects will better lay out the authority’s financial situation. "They are in dire straits & asking for state support, but right now we’re flying blind," she said.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/nj_sports_authority_still_faci.html

I seem to remember this article.

NJSEA: Family shows worth more to arena than Nets
IZOD Center won't be sad to see the Nets go.

At a hearing to discuss the NJ body that runs the arena, its president said a new deal to move the Nets to Prudential Center for 2 years while Barclays Center being built may actually benefit NJSEA.
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/backpage/family_shows_worth_more_to_arena_jr7GftwNVtmM5lKsNo0pnJ

Boy, do they go wrong. They want the Nets to leave so badly & now they regret it.

[Dan]

Bklyn arena opponent sues state for allegedly screwing up condemnation proceedings
By Rich Calder

Hold the shovels. Again. A real-estate mogul says he owns some "air rights" above the site of the planned Nets arena in Brooklyn, & that the billion-dollar project can’t be completed until he settles the issue with the developer.

Peter Williams, who has already received a money settlement from Bruce Ratner for handing over property he owned at the arena site, today filed a scathing lawsuit accusing the state of fowling up the project’s controversial condemnation process and trying to "steal" his air rights. It alleges the state colossally blundered by never condemning air rights Williams has owned since '01 above & around 24 6th Ave. in Prospect Heights when it previously condemned other land owned by project holdouts. "If the [state & Ratner] want to acquire title [to the property], they must do so through legal means [such as eminent domain or a settlement deal]," the suit says. "It simply can't take property it does not own."

The 11th-hour legal move by Williams, 66, of Greenich Village could potentially devastate Ratner’s $4.9B Atlantic Yards project, which includes the arena as its centerpiece. If the court sides with Williams, it could take up to 2 years for the state to be able to "condemn" the air rights & clear the way for the project - time that Ratner doesn’t have. The project nearly fell apart over earlier legal delays, & Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov’s anticipated purchase of the Nets from Ratner is contingent on all the property being free & clear of any hurdles.

Williams said he filed the suit because he believes the state "screwed up" & he considers Ratner "a bully." He declined to say how much of a settlement he’s seeking but is open to one. "I’m not a martyr like Dan Goldstein," he said, referring to the leader of the project opposition group who last month ended a 6-year holdout on his condo by agreeing to a $3M settlement. The suit raises the issue of whether air rights should be considered a separate property lot.

Ratner & the state declined comment, but the state in legal papers shot down Williams’ claims. It said the designation of the property by NYC as "Block 1127, Lot 7501" is "merely a mechanism for tax-billing purposes" & it "isn't a separate property lot."

Williams was 1 of the plaintiffs in a failed suit that tried to block the use of eminent domain for the project. 2 weeks ago, he turned over the 1-story building he owned at 38 6th Ave. for the arena in exchange of a settlement he said is "much less than Goldstein’s."

Williams acquired the air rights to 24 6th Avenue in exchange for giving its owner in '01 access to some of his property next door. No cash was exchanged, only property.

The suit was filed the same day the Post reported that the state & the developer (until just last week) were unaware tenants were secretly living in a Dean St. building also set to be razed for the project. The tenants were successful in squeezing extra cash out of the developer & now say they’ll be out this week, as will Goldstein.
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/brooklyn/bklyn_arena_opponent_sues_state_QIRNS3VeD4i5k4wbeZMFNO

I think the Nets are gonna be playing in Newark for more than 2 years.
I guess their is a new fad in Brooklyn. Cause Brucey a lot of trouble. Seriously, can't the guy be like Goldstein. Take $3M & stop b****ing about it. I'm sure the air rights ain't worth that much. Take the money from Ratner & shut up.WHY does this whole project involve Proky buying the team?

[ajmoney]

This whole project has become too much of an embarrassment to the Nets. With the delays, payoffs, lawsuits, protests, & g-d knows what else, I think we should play in Newark permanently.

I think on any type of deal like this, where you use imminent domain to relocate housing, your going to run into problems. I mean the President's son, George Bush had similar problems when doing the Rangers Stadium.

[Dan]

You would think they would learn their mistakes & other people's mistakes.

[Dan]

I was looking at some views of the Rock & I noticed seats in Sections 5, 11, 16 & 22 (All located above tunnels) aren't angled well for basketball. Note when buying them.

[BKNETS2011]

why dont Prokhorov just pay the bum his money so we could get this  started already!

[Dan]

why dont Prokhorov just pay the bum his money so we could get this  started already!

There have been many lawsuits vs Ratner, not Prokhorov. The project is finally starting.
(You might want to change you name to BKNETS2013, the year the move is projected)

[BKNETS2011]

There have been many lawsuits vs Ratner, not Prokhorov. The project is finally starting.
(You might want to change you name to BKNETS2013, the year the move is projected)

hahaha i was thinking bout that i'm now starting to come back on this site frequently that's why I haven't changed my name

[Dan]

CONCRETE POURED AT ATLANTIC YARDS
Arena Footings Mark Start of Barclays Center Foundation

FCRC today announced that The Laquila Group, a Brooklyn based excavation & foundation contractor, along with WNW Concrete Contracting, a local minority owned business, has begun pouring concrete for the foundation of Barclays Center.

Nearly 700 cubic yards of concrete from 2 plants in Brooklyn, delivered in 80 concrete mixing trucks, has been poured in the 1st 2 foundation footings.

 "We're thrilled that we are fully in the construction phase," said Bob Sanna, Exec. VP in charge of construction at FCRC. "Over the next few months we'll continue with the mass excavation, underground plumbing & electrical work along with ongoing foundation work."

He explained that approximately 13,000 cubic yards of concrete will be used in Barclays Center foundation. He expects 6,565 tons of steel to be used to construct the arena & an additional 2,693 tons for the arena roof.

It is finally starting.

[Dan]

This makes me feel better.

WANTED

The Brooklyn Move

DANIEL GOLDSTEIN

Crimes:
Taking $3M from Bruce Ratner
Delaying construction of Barclays Center
Keeping the Nets in the Meadowlands longer than expected
Forcing the Nets to play in Newark until Barclays Center is built
Costing the Nets many free agents during the 2010 Free Agency Period.

IF SPOTTED:
BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF HIM & SHOOT HIS BRAINS OUT

REWARD
If sent to bballfreak, you will be named admin

[TheNetsFan]

You can't just blame Goldstein. If there were fewer delays, Ratner would still be the owner. There's no guarantee he'd be free-spending in that case.

[Dan]

Ratner wanted to move the team to Brooklyn, then sell them for a profit. Maybe Proky would be owner, maybe he wouldn't.

[Dan]

Major Professional Boxing To Come to Brooklyn at Barclays Center
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment Teams with Golden Boy Promotions To Bring the Sweet Science Back to the Borough

Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (BSE) & Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) are teaming up to bring the best of major professional boxing back to Brooklyn at Barclays Center.

In an exclusive partnership with BSE, GBP, whose president is 10-time World Champ Oscar de la Hoya, will promote a minimum of 12 boxing events a year at Barclays Center during the multi-year term of the deal. Many of the events are expected to be broadcast on major cable networks.

Featuring top flight stars of the sport, as well as emerging talent, the regular boxing events will begin soon after Barclays Center opens in '12. GBP will seek to include Brooklyn fighters on its Barclays Center events including ESPN.com '09 Prospect of the Year Daniel Jacobs, who has been tabbed by many boxing insiders to be Brooklyn’s next World Champion.

“From its storied boxing past featuring world championship fights, to the history of Gleason’s Gym, to an extraordinary list of native champion boxers such as Mike Tyson, Rid**** Bowe, Mark Breland, & Zab Judah, Brooklyn has had a long & illustrious association with boxing,” said Brett Yormark, Pres+CEO of BSE “We're thrilled to team with the world’s premier boxing promoter, GBP, to bring the Sweet Science to Barclays Center & back to its roots of Brooklyn.”

“The renaissance of Brooklyn sports is something that we at GBP are proud to be a part of,” said GBP CEO Richard Schaefer. “We look forward to working with BSE to bring big time boxing back to Brooklyn & helping to write the next chapter in the borough’s rich boxing history.”

GBP currently has over 60 fighters under contract, from future HOFers Bernard Hopkins, Sugar Shane Mosley & Juan Manuel Marquez, to current world champs & superstars Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan, David Haye, Marcos Maidana, Israel Vazquez & Chris John.  Also included on the company’s roster are top contenders Juan Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Saul Alvarez, Victor Ortiz, Joel Casamayor, Daniel Ponce De Leon, Librado Andrade, Rocky Juarez & Abner Mares as well as highly regarded prospects Danny Garcia, Frankie Gomez, Erislandy Lara, Carlos Velasquez & Deontay Wilder.
http://www.nba.com/nets/news/Barclays_Boxing_Release_100722.html

Boxing is very big at MSG. This will hurt Dolan.

[Dan]

I think the team will be called the Brooklyn Nets when they move.

The Brooklyn Move

If you look at the paint near the baskets, you will see it says BROOKLYN NETS.
It might be hinting that the team name won't change.

[ace]

I doubt they will be called the Brooklyn Nets. If Prokhorov wants to be a "Global" brand like he said, they will be called the New York Nets. It has more global appeal.

[Dan]

I doubt they will be called the Brooklyn Nets. If Prokhorov wants to be a "Global" brand like he said, they will be called the New York Nets. It has more global appeal.

NY Nets sounds too much like NY Mets. The Mets aren't the most appealing team. That is 1 thing to consider.`

[ace]

...and the New York Jets don't sound like the New York Mets? One more won't kill anybody. Using Brooklyn would alienate other parts of New York. Using New York won't.

[BKNETS2011]

...and the New York Jets don't sound like the New York Mets? One more won't kill anybody. Using Brooklyn would alienate other parts of New York. Using New York won't.

Ummm does it really matter? It's all over the NBA there's the "LA" Lakers "Sacramento" Kings "Golden State" Warriors not the "California" Lakers,Kings,Warriors. Same goes on with the Texas teams. I could go on for ever with this. And also Brooklyn hasn't had a team to call their own since the Dodgers left for LA in 1957.And to be honest they were bigger in Brooklyn than they were in LA so the borough or region a team is named after really doesn't matter.