Nets' Losses Mount as Ratner Rallies Support

ratner’s not fooling anybody but himself … if he really was that concerned about the “losses”, he would move to newark immediately … governor corzine and the new jersey sports & exposition authority would waive the izod buyout fee and newark would welcome the nets with open arms

luxury box, club seat, electronic signage, restaurant, bar and concession facilities at the rock dwarf those available at izod, both in quantity and in quality

attendance would skyrocket for the nets just like it did for the seton hall pirates when they moved from the swamp to newark last fall

the nets would still be stuck with their mountain of debt incurred from years of losses in the swamp, but at least they could start reducing that debt in newark instead of adding to it in east rutherford

of course, we all know the real reason ratner is so anxious to move to brooklyn … because that’s the only way he can collect a $2 billion government handout via direct and indirect subsidies from the city and state of new york … a handout ratner is getting despite the fact that he’s already delayed/broken promises regarding construction of a hi-rise office & hotel complex, affordable housing and public parks

ratner’s entire atlantic yards project is a textbook case of welfare for the rich, porkbarrel spending and broken government

He must not be that concerned then…The team is moving to Brooklyn, not Newark. Get those ideas out of your head.

It is ridiculous how half-baked this ‘move’ to Brooklyn is turning out to be This is Murphy’s Law in sharp, crystal-clear detail. I believe Ratner’s motives for the long term are to secure the land in Brooklyn for a future development, but not the Atlantic Yards project. This project is coming apart at the seams. If he’s serious about building a large-scale development of the size and spectacle of Atlantic Yards, then downtown Newark is the place to go. It has land immediately around the Rock available for development, with no need to snatch people’s homes via eminent domain. Plus the train station is less than two blocks away, and local officals are adamant about having that land developed within the next three years.

The problem in Brooklyn is not with anti-development sentiment in Brooklyn, it’s with the type of development proposed for the area. This obviously was not planned with the immediate residents in mind. The Meadowlands is not even worth discussing at this point. It is now Newark or nothing (or at least continued financial losses in the tens of millions of dollars!).

I doubt all 3,500 were in support of the project. Im sure a good percentage were people wanting to see some big name players (who didn’t show up) or were just passing by. The project would be futher along if there were that many random supporters on a random thursday.

BrooklynZoo – Its 2008, where’s your arena?

@ Brooklyn Zoo,

I have to agree with Trenton. How long does this project have to be talked about before we actually see the Nets playing in BK? This arena was supposed to be built in 2006. It’s now 2008, and there is NO vertical construction for the arena. It’s becoming very hard to beieve anything Ratner feeds the media. Newark is the only option at this point. Something else should be put at the site in BK. Maybe a new Madison Square Garden for the Knicks! The community would certainly come out to support that.

@ Morpehus

Construction was supposed to start in 2006 there is no question about that. Legal issues have held up this project, not $$. As mentioned before, according to the papers, 18 court cases have been dismissed in favor of the Nets and Ratner. There is still 1 more law suite in the NY court systems. Once that gets tossed, according to FCRC construction will begin.

Newark is not an option for the Nets. Brooklyn is not a pipe-dream. Construction cannot begin to erect the building until the Supreme Court drops the last law-suit. I remember reading recently that the Atlantic Yards construction will begin in Nov/Dec of this year. By that time, if it hasn’t happened…then you can speculate about other venues all you want.

I highly doubt there is one document standing in the way of this project’s development….and it doesn’t help your claim much by saying FCRC is making that claim. Come on.

Sure 18 may have been dismissed in favor of Ratner, but once again, where is your progress?

I’d looooove to see how much construction takes place in say December or January in a NY winter. Its safe to say that will be bumped to March and then from there back to Nov/Dec.

And another thing, I’m sure a lot of people who 4 years ago were thrilled about the Nets moving to NY have become disgruntled and could care less at this point since nothing is moving forward. The Nets support is in NJ and what is there in NY is quietly drowning as these days, months and years pass by.

The Nets do not have fan support in Brooklyn or NYC in general, I can assure you of that. I have been a diehard supporter of the New Jersey Nets from Brooklyn since the early ’90s and I can count on two hands how many people I know that have been along for the ride.

I see the Nets play in MSG as often as I can, and most of the time, we are lucky if 15 percent of the sellout crowd are Nets fans (even with the Knicks fielding 25-win teams!) – but that is what makes it so exciting. This is our team, the few of us that support the Nets in Brooklyn and the other boroughs are REAL fans, not some bandwagon people that Ratner, Yormark and Markowitz are trying to drum up. Aside from us, the other REAL NJ Nets fans reside in New Jersey. And given an arena with public transportation and restaurants for pre and post-game available (ie Newark) the Nets can THRIVE IN NEW JERSEY.

Again there is no actual buzz about the Nets coming to Brooklyn, this will always be Knicks country, I want no part of the Nets coming here, and I live just blocks from the proposed site.

let’s not forget that the poor economy and credit markets are still a major issue in whether or not ratner can raise necessary financing for his project

nor should we forget that it only takes ONE LEGAL VICTORY BY ATLANTIC YARDS’ OPPONENTS to put crippling delays into the project … regardless of how many prior victories ratner has secured … and i wouldn’t be at all surprised if project opponents have further legal challenges up their sleeves which they’ve yet to utilize … it seems like they have a never ending supply

nor should we forget that ratner is still staging rallies in support of the project, which i don’t think he’d be doing if he were as confident about his legal battles as brooklyn zoo seems to be

so it would be a good idea for brooklynites … all 25 of them who care … to not hold their breath awaiting the nets’ arrival at atlantic yards … because it could be a very long wait indeed