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Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park infographics: what's built/what's coming/what's missing, who's responsible, + project FAQ/timeline (pinned post)

Star-Ledger on Ratner's basketball promises: "straining credibility" (and what if AY news were treated the same way?)

The Star-Ledger's Dave D'Alessandro writes about the prospects for the New Jersey Nets spending more on salaries, even going over the luxury tax cap:
"We've always spent what we had to spend, and we'll do that again," [principal owner Bruce] Ratner said. "From our point of view, we've always done what's necessary and will continue to do that. And we'll always need to have a competitive team -- as competitive as possible -- and money's never stood in the way of what we're willing to get."

Straining credibility, Ratner added that he's not entirely opposed to being a tax-paying team -- essentially, inflating the payroll to more than $71.1 million -- "if something came along."

(Emphasis added)

What if?

Imagine how some other coverage of Atlantic Yards might have gone.

The New York Times in March 2008 reported that the "Nets arena is on track." The New York Daily News in May 2008 quoted Ratner as saying "We anticipate finishing all of Atlantic Yards by 2018."

Both were "straining credibility." Similarly, much that Nets CEO Brett Yormark says about the project strains credibility.

Stern's "ringing endorsement"

NoLandGrab points to an appearance by NBA Commissioner David Stern's on "Francesa on the [W]FAN" yesterday, and inevitably, host Mike Francesa asked about the Nets' move to Brooklyn.

Francesa: So you still think they're going to Brooklyn, eventually?

Stern: They think they're going to Brooklyn, so I think they're going to Brooklyn.


It sounded like he was careful not to strain credibility.

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