Brooklyn More Or Less
Today's topic - Nets in Brooklyn. Discuss.
Yes, it seems like forever when the Nets were sold to developer Bruce Ratner, with the intention of moving the franchise to Brooklyn as part of Ratner's billion dollar development called Atlantic Yards. Oh, the story (as it went) was sweet - move the team to a city who's pride was still suffering from the move of the Brooklyn Dodgers a million years ago, bring affordable housing and jobs to a depressed area...etc etc. It was a feel-good story for sure.
We've heard all about the actual plan - how little affordable housing there really is, and how late in the game it (might) be available. We read with great interest how the city was going to contribute far more money than this poor billionaire was able to afford for infrastructure and whatever else was needed. How the rail yards it would be built on would be put to better use (forget the eminent domain issues, and the condemnation of property of honest and hard-working citizens).
Yes, this was altruism at its best.
Of course, aside from Ratner losing millions each year while waiting for this plan to get out of the courts and into development, it was a perfect plan.
Meanwhile, there was a perfectly good, brand new arena being built in Newark for the Devils. Why the Nets couldn't just move there, and STAY in New Jersey, is beyond me. Probably because some billionaire couldn't line his pockets under the guise of civic pride.
It's likely (no, absolutely likely) that Ratner will eventually clear the docket and get his monstrocity that towers over Brooklyn like a dark cloud built. And it's almost 100% guaranteed that he and his family will create even more enormous wealth, while the Nets continue to lose money. Sure, attendance is likely to increase. Sure, they can charge a much higher ticket price (this is NYC, they'll say) and sure, they can fill the billion or so corporate boxes with cash, I mean, fans.
But what they can't do is say this is a good idea.
We'll look at the Brooklyn trials and tribulations as we move through this season, and milestones are either met or missed. After all, if the move does go through, it'll put this site out of business.
Joe
Yes, it seems like forever when the Nets were sold to developer Bruce Ratner, with the intention of moving the franchise to Brooklyn as part of Ratner's billion dollar development called Atlantic Yards. Oh, the story (as it went) was sweet - move the team to a city who's pride was still suffering from the move of the Brooklyn Dodgers a million years ago, bring affordable housing and jobs to a depressed area...etc etc. It was a feel-good story for sure.
We've heard all about the actual plan - how little affordable housing there really is, and how late in the game it (might) be available. We read with great interest how the city was going to contribute far more money than this poor billionaire was able to afford for infrastructure and whatever else was needed. How the rail yards it would be built on would be put to better use (forget the eminent domain issues, and the condemnation of property of honest and hard-working citizens).
Yes, this was altruism at its best.
Of course, aside from Ratner losing millions each year while waiting for this plan to get out of the courts and into development, it was a perfect plan.
Meanwhile, there was a perfectly good, brand new arena being built in Newark for the Devils. Why the Nets couldn't just move there, and STAY in New Jersey, is beyond me. Probably because some billionaire couldn't line his pockets under the guise of civic pride.
It's likely (no, absolutely likely) that Ratner will eventually clear the docket and get his monstrocity that towers over Brooklyn like a dark cloud built. And it's almost 100% guaranteed that he and his family will create even more enormous wealth, while the Nets continue to lose money. Sure, attendance is likely to increase. Sure, they can charge a much higher ticket price (this is NYC, they'll say) and sure, they can fill the billion or so corporate boxes with cash, I mean, fans.
But what they can't do is say this is a good idea.
We'll look at the Brooklyn trials and tribulations as we move through this season, and milestones are either met or missed. After all, if the move does go through, it'll put this site out of business.
Joe
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