On the eve of the signature event at Barclays Center, the first Nets-Knicks game, the New York Times finds that most of those who fought --and almost killed-- the arena during a decade long fight are out of the game. They won't admit defeat but almost to a man (or woman) they admit being fatigued, devastated, exhausted by the fight.
Eric McClure ran NoLandGrab, a daily summary of news about the arena and Atlantic Yards. He shut down on September 29, the day after Jay-Z opened the arena. He's working on projects around his house.
Candace Carponter became head of the legal team at Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn regrets not devoting as much time as she should to her child. She also notes that much of the time she spent on the case was pro bono, that is, for free.
Patti Hagan, a local activist who first opposed the project, was long ago "excommunicated" from the fight after divisions on strategy. She now finds that she can attend jazz concerts, convert a brownstone and fill her hours in other ways.
Frank Yost, the owner for Freddy's Bar, got $475,000 to depart, thought about investing in a new Freddy's but is now headed to Portland, OR. Scott M.X. Turner is already in Seattle. He had a blog, Fans for Fair Play, that posted its last entry the week after Mikhail Prokhorov bought the Nets.
That leaves the two best known critics, Norman Oder of Atlantic Yards Report who tells the Times his blog has no expiration date. He says he is writing a book although there's been no announcement on his blog about a publisher. And, of course, there's Daniel Goldstein who famously received $3 million to leave his condo and still runs DDDB. He has other plans as well. He is writing a memoir. He hopes to open a restaurant.
- Exhausted From an Angry and Losing Battle Against Barclays Center - N.R. Kleinfeld - New York Times
- As predicted, Times reports on how Atlantic Yards opponents are exhausted by losses; neglects to cite court win, other news validating critique - Norman Oder - Atlantic Yards Report