Whoops, There Goes the Big Apple Bowl

[BullDoug]

New York Board Rejects NYC Stadium Plan

June 06, 2005 8:13 PM EDT

ALBANY, N.Y. - New York City's bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics suffered a setback Monday when a powerful state board rejected critical public funding for a $2 billion stadium on Manhattan's West side.

The financing board failed to approve $300 million in state money for the stadium that would also serve as home to the New York Jets. The plan, which needed unanimous approval from the three-member board, received only one vote.

New York is in competition with Paris, London, Madrid and Moscow for the 2012 Games. Earlier Monday, the International Olympic Committee released a report ranking Paris highest among the finalists and indicating that construction of the stadium is crucial to New York's chances.

The state board could reconsider the issue again later. But without the support of member Sheldon Silver - the state Assembly Speaker who came out against the plan less than an hour before vote was taken - the state funding cannot move forward.

"This plan is at best, premature," Silver said, indicating he was willing to continue talking about the issue.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg had heavily lobbied Silver in recent days for support of the stadium.

"If we don't have a stadium, we cannot get the Olympics," Bloomberg said after Silver's announcement. "I had not been able to persuade him."

The mayor said he would talk with members of the U.S. Olympic Committee about how to proceed.

Silver said the West Side stadium project and its related commercial development would hamper efforts to redevelop lower Manhattan, which he represents, in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that brought down the World Trade Center towers.

"Am I to sell out the community I have fought for?" Silver said at a state Capitol news conference. The speaker renewed his call for officials to consider putting the stadium in Queens.

Silver, Republican Gov. George Pataki and state Senate Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno each have a voting representative on the three-member PACB. Only the representative for Pataki, a stadium backer, voted for the funding plan. Representatives of Silver and Bruno, who had remained on the fence, abstained.

The meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., was delayed more than an hour in part because of more than 100 vocal stadium supporters who showed up and continued behind-the-scene talks.

Earlier Monday, Bruno had said he was willing to approve the funding contingent on approval of New York City's Olympic bid. He offered that as an amendment at the PACB meeting, but the motion failed to gain a second.

Bruno said even before the PACB's meeting that negotiations might continue beyond Monday.

Dan Doctoroff, the main supporter of the city's 2012 bid, said after the report came out: "We have, as they (IOC) pointed out, really only one liability and that liability is thus far our inability to deliver a guaranteed done Olympic stadium."

The stadium plan has been contentious from the start.

Supporters, including Pataki and Bloomberg, have touted its economic development potential.

Detractors, including the owner of the neighboring Madison Square Garden, have questioned everything from the process that would allow the Jets to buy the property where the stadium would be built to the wisdom of spending large amounts of public money.

The NFL has said the Jets can host the 2010 Super Bowl, but only if the team has the new stadium. The Jets currently play their home games in New Jersey, along with the New York Giants at Giants Stadium. New York officials have said they fear the Jets, without a Manhattan stadium, will stay in New Jersey where the Giants are going to build their own new stadium.

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Associated Press Writers Deepti Hajela and Sara Kugler in New York City and Mark Johnson in Albany contributed to this report.

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On the Net:

www.nyc2012.org

www.olympic.org

http://start.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20050606/42a3ca40_3421_1334520050606-1106319386

[Markeymark]

A stadium is not something that contributes to the good of all the people, especially one with a $2 billion price tag. Kudos to Silver for holding his ground. You can do a hell of a lot to improve NYC with that much lettuce. You would be hard-pressed to find where the net present value of a stadium is going to exceed $2 billion.

[CyberBull]

It will still get built. There is a lot of animosity between NYC politicians and Upstate New Yorkers who often feel their interests overlooked in favor of NYC metropolitian area.

There are more political games of give and take to be played.

Furthermore, while $2-billion seems like a lot of money it would almost guarantee the Olympics to NYC. After 9-11 it would be great testament to American resolve and determination to showcase NYC on a world stage.

It would also do wonders for the Big East....

[Jim Johnson]

It will still get built. There is a lot of animosity between NYC politicians and Upstate New Yorkers who often feel their interests overlooked in favor of NYC metropolitian area.

There are more political games of give and take to be played.

Furthermore, while $2-billion seems like a lot of money it would almost guarantee the Olympics to NYC. After 9-11 it would be great testament to American resolve and determination to showcase NYC on a world stage.

It would also do wonders for the Big East....

Cyber... I would say this stadium was not denied because of the animosity between upstate and NYC politicians... Silver - the Assembly Speaker who was the deciding force - is from lower Manhattan... Bruno - the Senate Majority Leader - is from Albany, but was willing to approve the project with the caveat that it will only be built for the Olympics.  Too bad Pataki wouldn't go along with Bruno's motion.

(I grew up in Rochester, NY, so I have seen a bit of the dual nature of NYS politics... but this wasn't one of those issues)...

Finally, I agree that this is not over and that building the stadium would be a good thing for New York and the Big East.

[RJWGoBulls]

No way the olympics goes to NY in 2012, even if the stadium is built.  Its between Paris and London

[Guest S.  Bien]

A stadium is not something that contributes to the good of all the people, especially one with a $2 billion price tag. Kudos to Silver for holding his ground. You can do a hell of a lot to improve NYC with that much lettuce. You would be hard-pressed to find where the net present value of a stadium is going to exceed $2 billion.

You would be hard-pressed to find where the npv of a stadium is going to exceed $2 billion- WITH THE EXCEPTION of NYC.  The only city where many prime city blocks have values in excess of $5 billion- after improvements!  This isn't an ordinary stadium or location and it isn't an ordinary city.

[BullDoug]

No way the olympics goes to NY in 2012, even if the stadium is built.  Its between Paris and London

Why?  Iraq?  GWB Jr.?  'Splain yourself for us RJW.

[Knight_Light]

No way the olympics goes to NY in 2012, even if the stadium is built.  Its between Paris and London

I would agree...I think Paris is the favorite...with London a close second (only because of France's recent Winter Games).

Even with that Stadium...IOC has many issues with NYC.

[RJWGoBulls]

Why?  Iraq?  GWB Jr.?  'Splain yourself for us RJW.

Glowing reports from the IOC inspection committies for both Paris and London, Paris got slightly the better.  This lack of a confirmed stadium was a major downer for NY, and every stumble like this lessens its chances

Currently the bookies have NY in 4th behind Paris 6-1, London 7-2, Madrid 16-1, New York 33-1, Moscow 100-1

Basically there are better bids out there.  Iraq, GWB jr might come into it but not very much.  Also there might be some hangover from the Atlanta games which were widely felt to be the most commercialised olympics that were quite poorly run olympics. But they will vote on the strength of the bids and it seems the NY was not as well recieved as the others

Also news just in...

New York could withdraw 2012 bid  

New York's 2012 Olympic bid is under serious threat

New York Olympic bid leaders are to discuss whether to pull their city out of the race to host the 2012 Games.

The move comes after a state government panel refused funding for the Olympic stadium near Madison Square Garden.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said he would "consult with the United States Olympic Committee" on the prospect of withdrawing the bid.

He had earlier admitted that rejection of the stadium would "seriously damage" New York's chances of victory.

Bloomberg said on Tuesday that New York had "let America down".

"The [uS Olympic Committee] selected us, New York, to represent the country. Other American cities wanted to have the privilege of competing at the world level," he added.

USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth has insisted that the New York bid cannot survive without a stadium but the organisation has the final say on whether or not New York pulls out.

International Olympic Committee members would find it impossible to support a candidate who could not even guarantee the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics events.

If New York does not go forward for the final vote against London, Paris, Moscow and Madrid in Singapore in July, it could damage US hopes of hosting future Games.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/olympics_2012/4071332.stm

[USFFan]

Glowing reports from the IOC inspection committies for both Paris and London, Paris got slightly the better.  This lack of a confirmed stadium was a major downer for NY, and every stumble like this lessens its chances

Currently the bookies have NY in 4th behind Paris 6-1, London 7-2, Madrid 16-1, New York 33-1, Moscow 100-1

Basically there are better bids out there.  Iraq, GWB jr might come into it but not very much.  Also there might be some hangover from the Atlanta games which were widely felt to be the most commercialised olympics that were quite poorly run olympics. But they will vote on the strength of the bids and it seems the NY was not as well recieved as the others

Also news just in...

New York could withdraw 2012 bid  

New York's 2012 Olympic bid is under serious threat

New York Olympic bid leaders are to discuss whether to pull their city out of the race to host the 2012 Games.

The move comes after a state government panel refused funding for the Olympic stadium near Madison Square Garden.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said he would "consult with the United States Olympic Committee" on the prospect of withdrawing the bid.

He had earlier admitted that rejection of the stadium would "seriously damage" New York's chances of victory.

Bloomberg said on Tuesday that New York had "let America down".

"The [uS Olympic Committee] selected us, New York, to represent the country. Other American cities wanted to have the privilege of competing at the world level," he added.

USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth has insisted that the New York bid cannot survive without a stadium but the organisation has the final say on whether or not New York pulls out.

International Olympic Committee members would find it impossible to support a candidate who could not even guarantee the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics events.

If New York does not go forward for the final vote against London, Paris, Moscow and Madrid in Singapore in July, it could damage US hopes of hosting future Games.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/olympics_2012/4071332.stm

The San Francisco Bay area was the runner-up for this potential bid, even though it had all of the stadiums and necessary facilities in place, an Olympic-style village just about ready on Treasure Island and was the favorite of the original committee.  New York got it because of the sentimentality factor and because they assured the IOC that these stadiums would be approved.  San Francisco would do a much better job with the games than New York, anyway.

USFFan