Mayor Gets Good Word on Stadium from Pataki
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Mayor Bloomberg’s favored development plan got a boost from Governor Pataki yesterday, when the state leader said in his State of the State address that the project, to build a football stadium along with convention space on the far west side of Manhattan, would “get done.”
Mr. Pataki called the project vital to the city’s efforts to be selected as host of the 2012 Olympic Games. The Bloomberg administration estimates its broader plan for Hudson Yards redevelopment would generate $60 billion during the next 30 years.
“Let’s work with Mayor Bloomberg to build the Sports & Convention Center,” Mr. Pataki said about halfway through his address in Albany. “Let’s fulfill New York’s Olympic dreams.”
There had been a question as to whether Mr. Pataki would provide a high visibility plug for the mayor’s favored plan to reshape the area between 30th and 42nd Streets, from Ninth Avenue to the Hudson River. Besides a 75,000-seat domed stadium for the New York Jets, it envisions buildings adding 28 million square feet of office space, 13,600 units of housing, and 700,000 square feet of retail space; extension of the no. 7 subway line from Times Square, and the addition of 20 acres of parks.
“Relax, we’re going to get it done,” Mr. Pataki said in the Assembly chamber yesterday.
The city and state would contribute $600 million in public funds toward construction of the $1.4 billion stadium.
Mr. Bloomberg attended the governor’s speech and sat beside his companion, Diana Taylor, state superintendent of banks.
