Helloooooooo Brooklyn!!!!!!!! Nets to move to new Arena for 2009-2010 season

Brooklyn arena and development project going ahead
Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. -- A $4 billion redevelopment project that could reshape Brooklyn with a new arena for the New Jersey Nets, office towers and thousands of apartments was approved Wednesday after months of maneuvering among New York state's top political leaders.

The state Public Authorities Control Board voted unanimously to authorize the Atlantic Yards development, a sprawling reuse of a downtown Brooklyn railyard.

The state would pay $100 million and New York City would pay $100 million toward the project.

The project, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, would rise above the railyard. Besides the arena, it would include 16 surrounding towers with housing, a hotel and office and retail space.

The tallest building would rise 58 stories above the railyard. The project would also bring a major league sports franchise back to the borough for the first time since the Dodgers bolted for Los Angeles in 1957.

"This project is vital to the resurgence of downtown Brooklyn and is unique in its ambition, blending residential, retail, commercial and entertainment on a grand scale," Dan Doctoroff, the city's deputy mayor for economic development, said earlier this month.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2704119

I had no idea this was this close to being passed. Anyone know if they plan on changing their name, since they will be moving to the Bronx?

 

Dammit, I deserved to break this headline, Juli.

Living here, I know this doesn't mean anything until the first foundation is poured and the first beam is laid, but this obviously a momentous occasion.

I'm pretty sure the team will not change its name, as Brooklyn Nets has a nice ring to it. The team has already changed its jerseys though, but I am disappointed it is not blue, as that would have been a nice homage to the Dodgers (the arena is situated on the site O'Malley wanted his new field, ironically enough).

The design of the arena is excellent, as it is miles ahead of the cookie-cutter flashy arenas littering the country, and Miss Brooklyn (the adjoining skyscraper) will be a nice addition to Brooklyn's growing skyline and mark its arrival as a true complement to Manhattan (though some residents don't like the new identity the borough is taking). That said, the article does not mention the scope of the housing development, as there the many luxury apartments will displace middle/low income residents. I feel a better compromise can be made in that regard.

What makes the the happiest is the fact the Garden will now have to compete against a team and arena that is under much, much better management (and is far easier to access as well). I'd kill to be there opening night.

 

BROOOKLYNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!

 

We're one step closer..actually, this is the final step, to ARCO Arena being the most out-of-date and obsolete arena in the league.

 

The current incarnation of Madison Square Garden is 38 years old, and is definitely showing its age. God I wish they could tear it down and restore the old Penn Station. There have been some talks about a new one (Garden), but those are in the very, very early stages.

 

Weren't the suppossed to put the new Penn across the street at the old Post Office (although it was functioning last time I was there) so Penn won't be totally underground anymore?

 

There is a plan for a new NJ transit station at the Post Office that attempts to recreate the iron and glass vault effect, though Sheldon Silver is stonewalling it because he feels the scope of the project isn't big enough. In this city, it's better than nothing, so I hope the project doesn't break down completely.

 

I must be the only Laker fan in L.A. who would like to see the home schedule split in half: 21 games played at Staples, 20 played at The Fourm; it's still around & was never a bad venue to play a basketball game in.

 

What is the Forum used for now? Conventions and minor league hockey?

 

I considered that, but I think it's had a couple renovations over the years. ARCO Arena is literally in the same state it was 18 years ago.

 

Actually Baron, it's owned by a church now. Concerts are still held there, though, as are freak dancing competitions.

 

Barclays foray into the United States will begin with the naming rights to the Nets arena, worth almost $400 million. It's good to know the two recent sponsors of New York sporting venues have some staying power (Citigroup and Barclays are among the largest banks in the world).