Announcements this week about the possibility of the NBA’s NJ Nets coming to Brooklyn drew both excitement and skepticism from transit advocates. On Wednesday, Bruce Ratner, Mayor Bloomberg, Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z, and others gathered to announce a $2.5 billion plan to build a 19,000-seat Nets arena, a housing complex and retail development at the southwest corner of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues.

The plan, and the promise of designs from world class architect Frank Gehry, won praise from the NY Times architectural critic Herbert Muschamp and sports economists who study the effects of stadiums on local economies.

Some commentators noted the cluster of transit lines that serve the site, which would in part be built over the railyard east of the LIRR Flatbush terminal. But there are important questions about how the transportation system, which is already at capacity, would accommodate the arena and associated development, along with the large-scale rezoning of Downtown Brooklyn and various other nearby redevelopment plans (like BAM Cultural District and Atlantic Terminal). LIRR’s Brooklyn trains may still have capacity, but Brooklyn subways and buses, especially around Atlantic Avenue, are already maxed out. Mass transit, planning and community groups have already expressed grave concerns about the poor transportation planning for the Downtown Brooklyn rezoning (MTR #419). According to analysis by Community Consulting Services, a Brooklyn planning group, the rezoning plan will increase demand for transit travel to downtown Brooklyn by about 40%. City documents say 2,000 new off-street parking spaces will help deal with increased traffic from the rezoning (i.e. a 10% increase in parking in Downtown Brooklyn). But the only mass transit improvements the plan foresees are station upgrades. A NYC Economic Development Corp. assessment of the proposed rezoning said that street and subway systems in Downtown Brooklyn are "stressed by current demand" and that the majority of travel demand from the proposed project will occur on the subways.

Ratner said he must get the Nets before he will move ahead with the arena plan. He currently has the highest bid for the team. A group — led by NJ Senator Jon Corzine and others are also in the running to become the Nets’ owner. As the Ratner plan was announced, NJ governor Jim McGreevey said he had $150 million in Port Authority funds in hand to extend a rail spur to the Nets’ Continental Arena venue. It was unclear how the PA money became available for this use — a variety of officials in involved agencies could or would not say. One theory is that McGreevey exacted it in exchange for not blocking the recent NYC airport lease deal, which will significantly increase Port Authority payments to the city. 

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