Manhattan Stadium For The Jets?
Here's something I don't have a concretely settled opinion on, mostly because I don't have a detailed command of the facts. The prima facie case for building a football stadium in Manhattan seems really strong to me [and if it happens, let's call it the Polo Grounds for God's sake--ed.]. However, I'm aware of how deeply felt the opposition to that proposal is. So far, a lot of the complaints strike me as the sort of "How dare you spend public money when my slush fund, er urban renewal project, needs financing!" whining that corrupt liberal political machines thrive on, but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise. Also, I find it hard to believe that there isn't any capital to found anywhere in the world's financial capital that can make this easy on taxpayers. [Even if it means "Pepsi present the Polo Grounds?--ed.] [Well, you've got to compromise somewhere--F.]
So here's my case: A football stadium would improve the quality of life in Manhattan. It would (if designed well) beautify the city. It would also solve a major personal dillema. I.e., the New York Knicks, who I will always love no matter what, are by default my favorite professional sports team because my loyalties in football are divided. Put the Jets in Manhattan, though, and it becomes a no-brainer.
Anyway, let me know what you think, particularly if you're a New Yorker, a sports fan, a football fan, or a Jets fan, and really particularly if you're all of the above. I suppose the input of anyone who hates New York, sports, football, and the Jets could be valuable too.
posted by Finnegan @ 5:38 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
I guess, from your most recent web-posting, that you've been getting negative email on this idea aplenty but no comments here so far. So I'll have my say, as a fan of professional football and of the city of New York, though a mortal foe of the Jets (my team plays you this weekend, so yeah, kill kill die die). I really think NFL football on Manhattan island is a terrific idea. Probably massively impractical, but that only recommends the idea further to me. I'd always thought Alec Baldwin a total prick politically but his suggestion post 9/11 that the twin towers be replaced with a park and professional sports facility totally redeemed him in my eyes. I think he was thinking more in terms of a replacement for Yankee Stadium but football would be fine too, and the game is more in need of a profile-boost in NYC than baseball anyway. As a fan of the euthanized Montréal Expos, I cannot emphasize enough what a boon having a facility right in the center of a city is for a sports team to really thrive as a part of the greater metropolitan conscienceness. Ancient Rome, with a truly stupendous population density, managed to find room for both the Coloseum and the Circus Maximus, and I think Manhattan could make the thing happen with the right amount of creative energy and boosterism. Prejudiced as this will no doubt sound, I think the greatest city in the world (and who with an IQ above the level of imbecile can believe otherwise) can provide for a conspicuous facility for the greatest game on earth (uh, ditto) -- and probably without recourse to excessive tax dollars, at that. Go for it.
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