Bars, Business Eye Barclays Boom

A walk around the Barclays Center gives you a sense of how things are changing as arena construction intensifies.

On the northern edge, along Atlantic Avenue, there's Atlantic Center and Atlantic Terminal, Bruce Ratner's modern if not architecturally interesting, mall and office complex as well as the LIRR's new, modern train station that's being linked by an underground concourse to the arena's Transit Connection. Not much else going on.

But on the southern edge, along Flatbush Avenue and Pacific Street, there's a warren of streets with small businesses and brownstones. It's there the next battle of Brooklyn is brewing.

As the Daily News reports, those who live near the arena fear a proliferation of restaurants and sports bars, the first of which opened last week. But local businessmen see something else, an economic boom associated with the arena and are renaming their businesses accordingly.

• Stadium bar mania: Arena nabes are bracing for bistro blitz - Erin Durkin - New York Daily News
• Success for hotel's right down the road sez owner - Erin Durkin - New York Daily News
• Future Nets Arena Controversy (Video) - Dan Bowens - FOX5 News
  
• Entertainment/retail round-up: new bar already open; changes agreed to by potential sports bar - Norman Oder - Atlantic Yards Report