Brooklyn Groundbreaking Live Blog
Mar 11, 2010 Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner, Live Blog
So after all of the court dates, changed dates, boycotts, and assumptions the Brooklyn Nets will finally become official after today’s groundbreaking ceremony. Join me @ 1:30 for a live-blog here. You can either read along or add to the discussion in the comments. See you at 1:30.
1:28 - Alright guys, I got the ceremony tuned on and ready to go. It is on YES for those in the tri-state area. I caught the tail end of an episode of Nets’ magazine, and they were talking T-Will. A quote from him, “My goal for this team is everyone goes out and plays as hard as they can.”
1:30 – …and here we go…
1:31 – We got Chris Shearn and Jessica Taff here. Such a big day you’d think YES would break the bank to get Marv and the Czar here today.
1:34 – They just showed all of the shovels. There were a lot of them, how many people are here? A quote from Chris Shearn, “When the shovels go into the ground, there will be a lot of happy people.”
1:36 - They are listing celebrities from Brooklyn, and Debra Messing got mentioned. I hope this isn’t what is going to be going on the entire hour. Seems they are just killing time until the speakers get going.
1:39 – Jessica Taft just mentioned that this project will create jobs…for the third time. They are looking for things to kill time with. Apparently everyone has been asked to take their seats.
1:40 – Now we are getting to the awesome stuff. They are making the practice facility so that people walking along the streets can see inside. They have this for the Pacers in Conseco Fieldhouse, and I saw it when I was in Indiana. I gotta say, even when it is empty it is pretty surreal to walk by and be able to see where NBA players practice.
1:42 – Because I write for NetsAreScorching, I am on the Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn e-mail list. They are calling this the “Ratner’s Arena Boondoggle Ceremony.” Now, I don’t agree with the DDDB, but I gotta say, that is pretty funny. I wonder if we are going to be able to catch any protesters on TV.
Nets on the Net: 12/31/09 Brooklyn Talk, NYE Edition
Dec 31, 2009 Brett Yormark, Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net
Outside of the Nets victory over the Knicks last night (more to come on that in a bit), there isn’t a tough of Nets-related news out there this a.m. besides some Brooklyn-related tidbits.
First, Nets CEO Brett Yormark talked with the YES Network before last night’s game and mentioned some tidbits about Brooklyn (“Brooklyn is here”), Mikhail Prokhorov (“he wants to build a championship team”) and the temporary move to Newark and the Prudential Center (“it serves as a great sampling environment to our fans in New York who can take rail”).
The New York Observer discusses Bruce Ratner’s next financial challenge in building the Barclays Center. He must raise $324 million by next December or he will have to refund the bondholders’ money: Some of this money will come from Mikhail Prokhorov, the tentative new buyer of the Nets, who has agreed to pay $200 million for 80 percent of the team and 45 percent of the arena-to-be. He has also, according to bond documents, agreed to fund at least $60 million in losses by the team until the arena is complete, though this amount is unlikely to be sufficient given that the Nets have been posting more than $70 million a year in pre-tax losses lately.
Brooklyn Nets: A Reality Check
Dec 24, 2009 Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner, Opinion
Six years ago, I first bought into Bruce Ratner’s idea of the Nets in Brooklyn. As a lifelong New Yorker who seemingly punished himself by choosing to root for the team playing in New Jersey, rather than the more easily accessible franchise in Manhattan, I was overjoyed that the Nets would some day only be a simple New York City subway ride away from my front door. And fresh off back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals, I thought the timing of such a move was spectacular. Doing the math in my head, I figured by 2009, Jason Kidd would be playing in his final season with the team, having already brought us NBA championship glory with Richard Jefferson and Kenyon Martin (substitute Vince Carter for Martin a year later). The Nets would be coming to Brooklyn after clearly owning the title of New York City’s supreme team. Take that, New York Knicks fans, who tortured me with their bravado in the mid-90s and mocked me for rooting for a team that played in a different state and was toying with the idea of renaming itself the “Swamp Dragons.”
Obviously, this master plan of mine (and Bruce Ratner’s) hit some snags. Residents of the Prospect Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn where the arena was to be built were not about to hand their land over to a developer without a fight. And then there was the whole issue of financing this big thing, which became even more questionable when the famous, and now former arena-architect Frank Gehry was waxing poetic about “Miss Brooklyn” skyscrapers. Meanwhile, the Nets got steadily worse where it mattered most to me – on the basketball court. The “Big Three” were traded away to create roster flexibility (aka, salary relief) and this year, the Nets got off to the worst start in NBA history. Then, there was all this talk that if the Nets weren’t in position to break ground in Brooklyn by the end of this year, the project was probably never going to happen. Yet, after so many letdowns with this team and this organization, it was hard for me to say if any of this Brooklyn stuff even mattered anymore.
Now, yesterday’s “master closing” announcement from Ratner and Co. is probably not the definitive victory dance in this fight – but is a clear sign that after all of these years, delays, lawsuits and controversies, this project is as close to reality as it’s ever been. And I must admit, I’m suddenly getting reacquainted with the 2003 version of myself (it’s like the Sport Fan’s version of The Lake House). Finally, the era of the Brooklyn Nets is upon us. For the first time in my life, I will have liked something before it became hip and cool to Brooklyn folk. Now all I need is my Strokes t-shirt and an apartment in Williamsburg and I’ll fit right in.
Seriously though, while the bluster of Brooklyn arena opponents will try and have you believe otherwise, at this point, there appears to be a very thin veil of red tape and interference that will prevent this project from happening. The courts have ruled in favor of the use of eminent domain, the tax-exempt bonds have been sold (and briskly at that), and the project has been “closed.” Ground needs to be broken, and Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov needs to be approved by the NBA (the latter will, undoubtedly happen), and this long strange trip should come to an end, and the next era of Nets basketball will be set to begin. Opponents keep talking of lawsuits and more lawsuits. It’s certainly their right to fight this project to the death, but with very few political allies who matter remaining on their side, their record in the courtroom is starting to reflect the Nets’ record on the hardwood – except even the Nets have pulled out a couple of victories this season.
So, for the first time in many years, I’m back to talk about the Brooklyn Nets like this is something I will see in my lifetime. Sure, my current vision of things may differ from what I was expecting back in 2003, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Nets to Newark? Not So Much…
Dec 16, 2009 Brett Yormark, Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner, Izod Center, Mikhail Prokhorov, Newark
Barely 24 hours after the Nets organization got good news about the sale of bonds for the Barclays Arena in Brooklyn, talks to temporarily move the Nets from the Izod Center to the Prudential Center in Newark have apparently unraveled, according to a report in the Star-Ledger this afternoon:
“I don’t know that it’s dead, but from what I’m hearing, any sort of activity … will have to await the next administration,” conceded Jerold L. Zaro, who had been working to broker the deal on behalf of the Corzine administration.
The proposed plan had the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and the New Jersey Devils working together to book events at both arenas and share revenues, while allowing the Nets to break their lease at the Izod Center and move to the more modern Prudential Center. The Nets would move again when the Barclays Arena opened in Brooklyn. But the Sports and Exposition Authority has apparently pulled out of talks, and is not looking to negotiate the lease for the Nets at this time, according to the Star-Ledger.
Brett Yormark told reporters that the organization is not giving up just yet on its proposed plans:
“We continue to be encouraged about the prospect of making an interim move to the Pru Center,” said Brett Yormark, the president and chief executive of Nets Sports and Entertainment.
Meanwhile, in related news, Bruce Ratner finalized the proposed deal to sell an 80 percent stake in the team to Mikhail Prokhorov. Russian’s richest man must be approved by the NBA before he can take control of the team.
This report is a total bummer. While the move to Newark would have only been temporary, it would have helped breathe some new life in this organization while they waited for their official new start to begin in Brooklyn in a few years (potentially). If all sides can’t come back to the table, the Nets will likely continue to languish at the Izod Center in front of sparse, disinterested crowds, who are only going to grow more bitter and angry as the team starts packing up for greener pastures in Brooklyn. The city of Newark proved at the two preseason games in October that they were eager for a chance to host a basketball team, and while there was certainly no guarantee of nightly sellouts at the Prudential Center if the Nets moved there, between the passionate city population and the arena’s accessibility to mass transit, I would have to guess they were going to be a better draw than at the Meadowlands. If this is politically motivated because Corzine lost the election in November, then shame on everyone.
Bonds For Brooklyn Arena Sell Fast
Dec 15, 2009 Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner
The Nets organization’s dream of moving the franchise to Brooklyn moved another step closer to reality this afternoon as team owner Bruce Ratner and the Brooklyn Arena Local Development Corporation were able to sell $511 million in tax exempt bonds this afternoon, according to a report in the New York Times. Ratner and his partners are expected to raise the rest of the money needed to finance the 18,000-seat Barclays Arena privately.
What was even better news for Ratner and co. is after six years of battling lawsuits and local property owners and politicians, the bonds sold rather quickly, according to the Times:
“There was a strong appetite for the bonds,” said Jay Abrams, a bond analyst at FMS Bonds. “The market was comfortable with the ratings the deal received and the security that was pledged.”
With this news in place, next week Ratner is expected to complete the “master closing” of the project, including taking possession of the properties condemned by the New York State of Appeals last month. Ratner is also looking to finalize his deal to sell an 80 percent stake in the Nets to Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, provided he is approved by the NBA.
In a show of just how divisive this project has been, check out these two comments from the Times’ comments section:
This is great news. All of the NIMBY opposition and consequent increased costs have not stopped this beneficial economic development project from moving forward.
And:
“which is to include more than 6,000 apartments.”
Also to be included are magic unicorns and leprechauns.
The Atlantic Yards Report, which has followed this project exhaustively, notes in their reaction post:
Ratner couldn’t sell tax-exempt bonds on his own. Let’s not forget the role of the Brooklyn Arena Local Development Corporation, the questions that have been raised about it, and the curious (and reportedly abandoned) plan to issue $400 million more in infrastructure bonds.
Nets on the Net 12/4/09 Edition
Dec 4, 2009 Barclays Arena, Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Kiki Vandeweghe, Lawrence Frank, Losing Streak, Nets on the Net
Brooklyn basketball fans tell Bruce Ratner, thanks but no thanks.
Ex-Net Rory Sparrow, a member of the original 0-17 1988-89 Miami Heat, is feeling sorry for the Nets organization.
Kiki Vandeweghe wants to put the “fun” back in basketball.
USA Today looks at the tough task ahead for Kiki.
Another profile of European coach Ettore Messina, a potential long-term replacement for Lawrence Frank.
The naming rights deal for the Barclays Arena is reportedly worth half of what was originally expected.
The Daily News looks at the worst NBA teams of all-time.
The losing streak has actually improved TV ratings for the Nets.
The New York Times City Room blog looks at the history of futility in New York-area sports.
The Times is also seeking your opinions on how the Nets can market their future games at the Izod Center.
Looking back at the history of the Izod Center, and all of its previous iterations.
The AP takes a cue from Nets Are Scorching, and blames everything on Bruce Ratner.
Some comparisons with the 1988 Baltimore Orioles.
Jay Mariotti calls the Nets as currently constituted, “consumer fraud.” Meanwhile, CDR continues to question the heart of this team.
Should we pity the ticket scalpers working Nets games? Seriously, is there any angle of this losing streak the Times hasn’t covered?
Some audio of Lawrence Frank on WFAN yesterday.
One observer: don’t feel sorry for the Nets.
These Boos are For You Bruce Ratner
Dec 3, 2009 Bruce Ratner, Opinion
The boos that filled an otherwise empty Izod Center as the Nets set a record in futility against the Dallas Mavericks last night should be meant for one person, and one person only.
Bruce Ratner.
Lawrence Frank may have been fired, Kiki Vandeweghe may be the GM and now Frank’s interim replacement, and Rod Thorn may be the team’s president, but the mess that is the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets is unequivocally on current owner Bruce Ratner.
As we’ve seen in Ratner’s dealings with the Atlantic Yards Development – the supposed “future home” of the Nets if Ratner could ever find a way to get financing in place – Bruce likes to blame the architects when things get too controversial and/or expensive. That’s why he dumped Frank Gehry earlier this year to go with a more dumbed-down variation of the development. Similar logic was used when at 0-16, the organization decided to dump Lawrence Frank.
But Ratner can’t just keep blaming architects and coaches forever. At some point, he needs to own up to the fact that as the owner of this franchise, he’s been the ultimate failure where it matters most – on the basketball court, not in the courtroom pushing people out of their homes. The hypothetical day Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov takes the reins of this organization can’t come soon enough. One can only hope that afterwards, Ratner crawls back in a hole somewhere, never to torture a sports team, a fanbase and a community, like Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, ever again.
As Nets fans, Ratner has given us no other choice but to believe that Brooklyn is the end game and a return to some level of normalcy for this franchise. We have to believe this, because the possible alternatives are even more nightmarish.
If you follow the Nets closely, you likely already know the many transgressions of Bruce Ratner. The penny pinching. The out-of-whack priorities. The desire for real estate and geography over winning and cultivating who’s left of your fanbase.
I sincerely hope last night’s boos were for Bruce Ratner, because there’s no other rational explanation for them. Why boo the players? It’s the equivalent of shooting the messenger. Have the Nets had agonizing lapses on offense and defense during their losing streak? Of course. When you look at the faces of Brook Lopez or Chris Douglas-Roberts, do you think it’s for lack of trying? I hope not. The players weren’t the ones directed to trade away their three franchise players for expiring contracts and underdeveloped “youth.” All while Ratner kept his eye on the ultimate prize – HIS ultimate prize.
To use an old cliché, the fish stinks from the head down. At last night’s game, a fan who brought in a sign, “End Ratner’s Reign of Error,” was asked to put his sign away for being against arena regulations – whatever that means. An owner of Ratner’s greed and incompetence should be against NBA regulations. Someday, I hope David Stern realizes this.
Nets on the Net: 11/26/09 Turkey Day Edition
Nov 26, 2009 Brett Yormark, Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner, Courtney Lee, Develop Don't Destroy, Devin Harris, Kiki Vandeweghe, Lawrence Frank, Losing Streak, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net
Al Iannazzone explains why he (and we) should be thankful.
Lawrence Frank is trying to resist playing Devin Harris and Courtney Lee big minutes as they come back from injury.
Meanwhile, the whispers about Frank’s future continue. If Frank gets fired, his replacement will likely come from in-house as the organization continues to pinch pennies.
Another article that gathers some reaction from the 88-89 Miami Heat and the 99-00 LA Clippers, aka, the two teams the Nets could soon be challenging for infamy.
Brett Yormark on WFAN yesterday.
There are still many steps that have to take place before Mikhail Prokhorov can take over as owner of the Nets.
The Atlantic Yards Report has some reaction from yesterday’s press conference by Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn regarding the Nets planned move to Brooklyn. Here’s some video as well:
For the Nets, A First Victory in Brooklyn
Nov 25, 2009 Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner, Mikhail Prokhorov, Opinion
Victories have been extremely hard to come by for the Nets this season. But after an assist from the New York State Court of Appeals yesterday, the Nets earned a victory that could go a long way towards changing the fortunes of the franchise.
Yesterday’s ruling by New York state’s highest court still does not make the Nets proposed move to Brooklyn a definite – financing for the project is still a necessity for this move to happen, and this ideally must be accomplished before the end of the year, all in a down economy.
But make no mistake. Though opponents of the Atlantic Yards Development and the Barclays Arena will continue to talk about the number of lawsuits they have filed and will continue to file, yesterday’s ruling in favor of the developer’s use of eminent domain to acquire the property they need in Brooklyn to build this project was a critical blow to the opposition. Opponents can try attacking the way state agencies like the Empire State Development Corporation or the Metropolitan Transportation Authority do business, but if Bruce Ratner is able to get the financing his need to qualify for tax exempt bonds, Brooklyn will finally become a reality for the Nets organization.
In our comments section yesterday, one of our readers, calling all toasters, wrote: “LeBron or no, this is the most important day for the Nets in the last 3 decades. They should have a permeant home, a larger fan base, a wealthy owner, and (for once) some sparkle.”
While there are still a good chunk of Nets fans who would rather the team stay in New Jersey, those who believe that it’s in the organization’s long-term interest to build their future in Brooklyn likely shared this level of enthusiasm. In a season that has already seen its lion-share of frustration, anger and disappointment, the state’s court ruling was the most silver of linings. Brooklyn brings new possibilities to the organization: a state-of-the-art arena that, even without the grandiosity of architect Frank Gehry, should still be impressive. There’s also the ability to promise current players and free agents an opportunity to shine in the world’s biggest media market, in that market’s hippest borough.
Then there’s the promise of Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. While there has been some buzz as of late that Prokhorov’s takeover of the team is not totally contingent on Brooklyn, having details of the move finalized by the end of the year, would certainly make the transition to new ownership a lot simpler. With Prokhorov, the Nets will have an owner who has a track record of spending to win – something the organization has sorely lacked during the Ratner era. While I agree with calling all toasters about the magnitude of yesterday’s decision, I think the organization’s most important day will ultimately be decided by NBA owners if and when they approve Prokhorov as the new Nets owner in the near future.
But until then, the focus remains on Brooklyn and the Atlantic Yards. As a resident of New York, it’s certainly disconcerting that there is legal precedent that a private developer can grab someone’s home for the sake of project that may, or may not “improve” the region. But from a basketball perspective, this ruling is as big as it gets. Now it’s up to Ratner and his team to push this project over the finish line – get the financing he needs so this organization can get out of the purgatorial state it has been for the past six years. The ball is now firmly in your court Ratner, and with the season sinking around you, it’s on you to finally deliver on your promises to bring the Nets to a better place.
Nets on the Net: 11/25/09 Edition
Nov 25, 2009 Brook Lopez, Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Courtney Lee, Develop Don't Destroy, Devin Harris, Losing Streak, Nets on the Net
Chris Douglas-Roberts makes John Hollinger’s all-underrated team.
Ben Couch hosts a Q+A with Trailblazers.com.
Mark Miller of Yahoo blames Bruce Ratner for the poor start.
Marc Stein of True Hoop looks deeper into the bad start for Lawrence Frank.
Courtney Lee’s return was a lone bright spot for the Nets last night.
Despite the bad start, the Nets are doing a lot of charity work, making them winners off the court.
Bergen Record earns the best headline award for “Ratner a winner in court, a loser on one.”
In the aftermath of yesterday’s court victory, the New York Times looks at how the Nets still have their foundation in place with Brook Lopez and Devin Harris.
The Star-Ledger jokes that this could be a loooong good-bye for the Nets and New Jersey.
Daniel Goldstein, head of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, wants NY Governor Patterson to stand by his position as a state senator to put a moratorium on the use of eminent domain.
Kenyon Martin is not a big fan of Bruce Ratner.
HoopsWorld says the Nets compare favorably to the 88-89 Heart and the 99-00 Clippers, the two previous teams that went 0-17 to start a season.