Brooklyn NBA Arena's Foes Point To Security Problems

Opponents of Brooklyn's planned basketball arena said yesterday that Governor Spitzer should address security concerns connected to the project, citing the decision by officials in Newark, N.J. to close streets abutting a new arena there.

A spokesman for the group Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, Daniel Goldstein, said the terror risk for the planned Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn "is potentially far greater than that faced by the Newark arena.

"The time for a review of the impacts of a terrorist threat against Atlantic Yards and a state hearing on the issue is now," Mr. Goldstein said. He said Mr. Spitzer's homeland security czar, the Deputy Secretary for Public Safety, Michael Balboni, should testify at such a hearing on Atlantic Yards terrorism security issues. Additionally, Mr. Goldstein said the Empire State Development Corporation, the state agency using its eminent domain powers to condemn and seize buildings on the Atlantic Yards site, should "learn from Newark's lack of planning and initiate a proper review of Atlantic Yards and terrorism security."

A spokeswoman for Mr. Spitzer had no immediate comment on the issue.

An executive vice president with the developer, Forest City Ratner, Bruce Bender, said the project had always paid attention to security issues. "From the start, Forest City Ratner has worked very closely with security experts on Atlantic Yards, and the top police, fire and security experts in the city have reviewed and approved our comprehensive plan. Anyone who has any experience in security knows that you do not discuss sensitive security matters in public for very obvious reasons," he said.