Council Aids Board 7 With New Mets Stadium
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

Aerial schematic of the proposed Mets Stadium.

With new ballparks for the Mets and Yankees by 2009 a reality, it's easy to forget this all came about when just a year ago New York City was trying hard to lock up a bid for the 2012 summer Olympic Games and Mayor Michael Bloomberg was lobbying hard to build a new football stadium for the Jets in Manhattan.

But when the West Side Stadium, which was also the centerpiece for the 2012 Olympics was sacked late in the game by the opposition, the mayor turned to his bullpen to try to save the day (to use a mixed sports metaphor).

After spending years and millions saying an Olympic Stadium couldn't be built in Queens, the mayor brought in the Mets, who quickly agreed to build a new ballpark just to the east of Shea Stadium that could be retrofitted into an 80,000-seat facility for the Olympics.

A new Yankee Stadium, to be built in Macombs Dam Park, just north of the current Yankee Stadium, would also be approved as long as the Yankees agreed to double up with the Mets in their park for the 2012 season.

But less than a month later, in July 2005, the city lost its bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. Even so, the Mets and Yankees had both won their long desired new homes and the Jets are permanently moving to New Jersey.

"The city moved very, very quickly," Councilmember John Liu said at the May 8 meeting of Community Board 7 in Flushing. By votes of 48 to 1 for the Mets' Stadium and 46 to 3 (one abstention) for the Yankees' Stadium, the city council approved the financing plans on April 26. The city will issue taxexempt bonds in the amount of $632 million for the Mets and $930 million for the Yankees, to be paid back to the city by the teams.

Liu said there was concern by members of the Queens City Council delegation that the local community had been left out of the process. "That's why many of my colleagues, and I stepped up and said although we all want a new stadium, something has to be given to the community."

In response, the Mets have agreed to designate at least 25 percent of construction jobs to companies from Queens, 25 percent of jobs to Queens residents and 25 percent of all contracts to women and minority businesses and workers. The Mets will also donate $500,000 to community groups and Little League teams in the borough.

There is also a commitment by the Bloomberg administration to improve infrastructure around the stadium, including the complete reconstruction of the Roosevelt Avenue Bridge, Liu said.

"We appreciate the work that went in from the council," said Board 7 First Vice Chair Chuck Apelian. Citing failed efforts to reach out to the Mets, Apelian said a lapse in communication between the team and the board had occurred. With high hopes the Mets will resume their place as a good neighbor, Apelian said the team would be an organization "we can be even prouder of than we are now." Apelian said the Mets intend to begin construction soon, after the current home stand.

One week after the final approval for the new Mets' and Yankees' ballparks, Bloomberg said the city had no plans to bid for another Olympics. "I do not believe that the opportunities that we had when the 2012 bid was put together will exist for a 2016 bid", according to a report in the May 5 New York Times.

Noting the recent passing of long-time board member and Transportation Committee Chair Victor Ross, Apelian said Ross was a terrific human being who always looked out for the community. "Victor, we're going to miss you," he said.