Question:
Momentum seems to be building the Jets way (not to mention the 2010 Super
Bowl in NY) now that a majority of the NY City Council is on-board and Gov.
Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg seem to be responding to some of Assembly
Majority leader Sheldon Silver's demands to help downtown. Now if they can
just get a favorable court ruling next week then the PACB vote and we are on
the way....
Answer:
"New York always has been a city that thinks big, and looks toward the
future with a can-do attitude. New York Sports and Convention Center is our
opportunity to leave a legacy for future generations of New Yorkers. With
the facility, we'll have a chance of hosting the city's first-ever Olympic
games, Super Bowl and other major events. We'll create jobs, attract a
professional football team back to the city and generate a large private
investment. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to seize the
opportunities offered by this project," said Council Majority Whip Leroy
Comrie (27th District - Queens).
"So many of my colleagues are on board with this plan because it is
absolutely a no-brainer," said Council Member David Weprin (23rd District -
Queens), chair of the Council's Finance Committee. "Any time we can infuse
$1.6 billion in private investment into the city, create 7,000 permanent
jobs and over 18,000 construction jobs, how can we not jump at that
opportunity?"
"Development of the New York Sports and Convention Center will create
economic opportunity for thousands of New Yorkers in every borough. New
York's ability to expand the tourism industry and to attract major events
depends on our ability to move the project moving forward. The city
administration wants the project; a majority of the City Council wants the
project. That should end the debate. Let's move beyond the debate that has
dominated the headlines for many months and begin construction of the
vitally important project," said Councilmember Larry Seabrook (12th
District - Bronx).
The facility will be used most of the time for trade shows and conventions -
remember the retractable roof and the fact that the lower level seating
retracts, leaving about 200,000 square feet of usable space,
It should prove quite profitable use of the space for the City and State,
bringing visitors and jobs to the area and ancillary businesses like hotel,
stores, etc.
Even the conservative projections of the Independent Budget Office show the
facility bringing in far more in revenues for the City and State governments
than it will cost them.
