SPORTS EXTRA
Alien visitors to our region might be
initially heartened to learn that our elected leaders
have laid to rest so many basic social, economic and
environmental problems that they are able to devote
considerable time, energy and public resources to the
problem of locating and housing professional sports
teams. Stadium mania has indeed gripped the metropolitan
region, with no fewer than eight major venues proposed
for construction or overhaul, in addition to New York
City’s bid
for the 2012 Olympic Games. Most of these projects
will have major transportation consequences. We survey
them in this edition.
Transportation Watchdogs Sue Over Jets Stadium Plan-Cite
Weak Traffic Study
On December 22nd, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign
and the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign filed a lawsuit
in NY Supreme Court against the City of New York and
the Metropolitan Transportation Authority over their
approval of the environmental impact statement for
the Hudson Yards project, which includes the proposed
West Side Jets stadium.
NASCAR's Plan to Beat Gridlock
International Speedway Corp. recently purchased a 675-acre
former industrial site in Staten Island to develop
its newest NASCAR speedway. The choice seemed ironic
at first, given Staten Island’s legendary traffic
problems and high degree of car dependence. But unlike
any other large-scale entertainment or other type of
developer in the city, NASCAR has worked out an innovative
plan to bring 80,000 fans per event to its chosen site.
New Transit Ties in Yankee Stadium
The NY Yankees have proposed a new $700 million stadium
in Macombs Dam Park across the street from their current
Bronx home. The NY Post reports the plan includes a
Harlem River ferry terminal and a new Metro-North Hudson
Line station.
Can Hockey Rebuild Newark?
The NHL is still locked out, but plans to build an
arena in Newark for the New Jersey Devils are among
the most advanced stadium plans in the region — a
construction management company should begin work very
soon.
No Transit Gains Tied to NYC 2012?
What happened to the notion that attracting the Olympic
Games is supposed to provide long-term benefits for
the host city? At least as far as transportation, there
isn’t much there for New York, according to the
latest version of NYC 2012 bid.
Atlantic Yards Must be Slam Dunk for MTA
Seventeen community groups and four prominent elected
officials recently wrote to NYC City Council Speaker
Gifford Miller and NY State Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver to urge that the MTA receive fair market value
for the development rights over the MTA-owned Atlantic
Yards property.
Traffic a Sticking Point for New Giants Stadium
The NY Giants have proposed building a new stadium
with the team’s money in the New Jersey Meadowlands,
but have not sealed the deal with the state because
of concerns over game day traffic. The Xanadu entertainment
complex could generate huge quantities of weekend car
trips and snarl lower Bergen County and adjacent areas
when combined with football traffic.
Coliseum Plan-Nassau Hub Phase 1
New York Islanders owner Charles Wang has proposed
redeveloping the Nassau Coliseum and its surroundings
with the Lighthouse, a 60-story hotel and condo building,
along with retail and recreational uses.
