Bruce Ratner spoke with Charlie Rose for a half hour Friday night. Most of the conversation was centered on Barclays Center, which the arena majority owner called, "one of the most important civic buildings built in the city" ... "the most important arena built in the last half century in this country" ... "the beginning of 21st century architecture in the city."
On a more micro level, Ratner stressed the arena is "built for basketball" and its sightlines, developed after a study of "16 other arenas", will make Barclays Center "very tight, exciting, noisy," adding "It's going to have all the latest technology and amenities. So when you're there, you're going to feel you're right in the action."
Ratner also said he and Mikhail Prokhorov were brought together by "the great David Stern" who knew Prokhorov was interested in buying an NBA team. "I was able to find someone who knew him. We flew out and in a dinner, we kinda knew this would work." Excerpts follow.
- Bruce Ratner Interview (Video) - Charlie Rose
"It's one of the most important civic buildings built in the city, the most important arena built in the last half century in this country.."
"Basketball people will love it. First of all, it's built for basketball. It's much like inside the Conseco Center (in Indianapolis). Very good sightlines. We studied 16 different arenas to get the best sightlines. It will be very tight, exciting, noisy. It's going to have all the latest technology and amenities. So when you're there, you're going to feel you're right in the action."
"When you look at that arena, it's 21st century. It's beautifully designed. I think when people look back a couple of decades from now, I think they will say this is kind of the beginning of 21st century architecture in the city because it's very different looking, it's very futuristic looking. This is the first building built in the city since the year 2000 that has been built in the city in the last ten years that is really a contemporary new building. It doesn't look like a normal arena. It's not retro...There's sense of motion and action here."
"[Mikhail Prokhorov] loves basketball, he loves the Nets, he loves sports...I flew out to Russia. It was the height of the recession. If I cant find an economic partner, i couldnt do this. I have dinner at his home and we get along...The great David Stern, the NBA commissioner, told me that Mikhail Prokhorov was interested, had inquired. I was able to find someone who knew him. We flew out and in a dinner, we kinda knew this would work."