The Jets and Giants are still squabbling over the proposed new stadium, according to an article on the front page of this mornings' Star-Ledger, and it possibly jeopardizes delaying the new opening of the stadium for a year. This article also explains the uncertainty over the date of the Eagles-Jets preseason game. It was supposed to be Thursday, August 31. Now it looks like it will be Friday, September 1: http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1155103322127080.xml&coll=1 Jets-Giants Fight Puts New Home On Hold 2 partners are locked in a potentially expensive debate over stadium design Wednesday, August 09, 2006 BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN Star-Ledger Staff The honeymoon is over. Nearly a year after entering into a historic partnership to build a football stadium in the Meadowlands, the Jets and Giants are at odds over nearly every detail of the project, including its design and cost, according to six industry executives with direct knowledge of the process. Relations have gotten so bad, lawyers ended up in arbitration last month over which team would get to use their current home, Giants Stadium, on the Thursday night before Labor Day weekend for their final preseason game this summer. The two teams hope to begin playing in a new stadium in 2010. "You're getting to the point where they could be in danger of losing another season," said one industry executive who has a close relationship with top officials in both organizations. "There is too much at stake for this not to happen, but every month that slips by, they are losing more and more money." The executives interviewed asked to remain anonymous because they did not want to jeopardize their relationships with the teams. John Mara, co-owner of the Giants, acknowledged the teams are at odds over some important matters but said he remains confident a new shared stadium will be ready for the 2010-11 season. "We've agreed on so much so far, and we agree on many more things than we disagree on," Mara said last night from Chicago, where he and Jets owner Woody Johnson were attending the National Football League owners meetings. "We'd all like it if the process would move along faster, but this is such a complicated process -- and there are so many decisions to be made, it's inevitable you're going to have some disagreements." Johnson did not return phone calls seeking comment. While the teams have come to an agreement on an overall plan for the stadium complex and surrounding development, for months executives have reported little progress on the centerpiece of the project, the stadium itself. Tensions boiled over last month in the dispute over the teams' final exhibition games this season, in which the Giants will host the New England Patriots and the Jets will host the Philadelphia Eagles. Both the Jets and the Giants wanted to play their games Aug. 31, because it would allow for 10 days of rest before the regular-season opener on Sept. 10. The Jets argued they should be allowed the Thursday night date because the Giants played on the comparable date last year. The Giants claimed they had the right to the date because they had a contract to play New England before the Jets had a deal to play Philadelphia. With the two sides unable to reach a compromise -- both teams listed an Aug. 31 home game on their Web sites -- the matter went to the NFL commissioner's office, which settles all disputes between franchises. The league sided with the Giants because they were the first to file their contract. The Jets are now scheduled to host the Eagles the night after the Giants game. Mara said the argument over the preseason schedule was not indicative of what remains a solid working relationship and that he expects the two sides to agree on a final design by the end of the year. BILLION-DOLLAR ESTIMATES The executives interviewed for this story said the disagreements boil down to a fundamental difference over stadium design. The Jets favor a high-tech glass and steel structure similar to the one they wanted to build on the West Side of Manhattan. It would be filled with electronic scoreboards and signs that could alter the look of the stadium depending on which team was playing there, and sponsors would have an array of options for splashing their names in different areas. The Giants favor a more traditional -- and less expensive -- stadium where the focus is on football rather than advertising opportunities. In the spring, the teams produced as many as six sets of preliminary drawings and sent them to builders for estimates. The estimates all came back in the neighborhood of $1 billion; one design favored by the Jets was placed at nearly $1.2 billion. That was far more than the Giants had hoped to pay when the team entered the partnership last year. In an effort to save money, the team asked its architects, 360 Architecture and Hammes, last month for a new design about 200,000 square feet smaller. However, construction experts say that with the cost of steel and concrete rising at historic rates, the delay may wipe out any potential savings from a smaller structure, especially if the new stadium isn't ready for the 2010 season. Marc Ganis, a leading stadium consultant, said conflict was inevitable between two teams that originally planned to build their own stadiums. "They both need the new facility and they are unlikely to get them in other locations," Ganis said. "So they need each other, they need to work together, and they will." Officials with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, the agency that operates the Meadowlands Sports Complex, said they have stayed out of the disagreements so far. Instead, they have concentrated on finishing negotiations on the state's development agreement with the teams. Carl Goldberg, chairman of the sports authority, said those discussions are finished and a draft of the deal has been sent to Gov. Jon Corzine for his approval. "Our focus has been the traffic and the parking management and the building's relationship with the plans for Xanadu," Goldberg said, referring to the massive retail and entertainment center now under construction at the Meadowlands. "From where I stand, I'm thinking everything is where I wish it to be."
Good, let's move back to Queens just so I can piss off that troll from last year who was worried that we were going to touch the garbage-riddled fountain at Flushing Meadows Park.
Hahahaha... remember that tree-hugger, Koz? He was concerned about the "environmental impact" on the "park."
Just the usual case of the pampered GIANTS desire to be the BIG DOG in the neighborhood! first we had to give in to their desires for a training facility where they demanded it and now this! I am at the point where I hope the deal caves in and the JETS wake up and build a home of their own! DOWN with the GIANTS and a shared stadium!
Good times were had that week. Had the stadium plan gone to fruition, I fully expected to see that guy chaining himself to a goal post the night before a game.
I agree.. Well not with the down with the giants part of course, but, with the shared stadium part of it.
I'm not too worried, this is how many corporate partnerships unfold and they have been having these disagreements about the type of stadium they envisioned since the very beginning. Both sides are posturing a bit, laying their scent so to speak, leaking some things to the public to gain support for their position. Things will get done in the end when it starts costing real dollars for additional delays. That's my take at least, we'll see...
I remember that guy. I remember really going at it with him. I love how he proclaimed to be this huge Jets fan, but no one has heard from him since, lol. I would ask him what he hoped to accomplish complaining to a bunch of fans on a message board, and he wouldn't answer. I asked why he didn't join one of the community groups and actually do something about it, but no reponse. It was like he thought one of us had Woody Johnson's phone number. Good times.
That pretty well sums it up, Baamf. The thing I don't get is, why do the Giants want a more "traditional" stadium? They've already got one. Why even tear down this still-servicable stadium if you're that concerned about dollars and want a "traditional" stadium with diminished seating? Each team would have had to spend considerably more than a half billion anyway, to build their own individual stadiums, so I don't understand the reluctance on the giants' part now to keep the cost under 1 Billion. Like 1.2 Billion is over the top, shared by both teams? Come on! If you're going to build the thing, then don't cut corners... build it right the first time. I see the Jets' point here. Traditional stadiums are a dime a dozen. This one will house the two featured NY franchises. Build it state-of-the-art!
that seems like a major difference though. One side wants a traditional cheaper stadium and the other a more modern structure that has room to take advantage of all the money that gets splashed on advertising these days. Thats two hugely different stadiums from those two points of view. If we buckle to the Giants again and build a cheaper traditional stadium we will have take it up the rear from them once again. They will have got everything their way once more.
All I really care about the psl and if there is going to be one. If there is one it better be small with 2 teams. I think the jets plan is more fan friendly sure there will be tons of ads but that will keep are cost down
I have given up all hope of a NY stadium. That's fine. Jersey can keep the teams. However, I want the Jets in their own house. I don't dislike the Giants, but I am getting really tired of their treatment of us like second-class citizens. Fine, we have been paying rent all this time, so we had to eat shit. However, now we are talking about putting up half a billion dollars. As was said earlier, why the hell would Big Blue want to tear down the fully functional "traditional" stadium they have, just to build another piece of crap? Giants Stadium is a cesspool. How many times has the "grass" been "repaired" the past few years? The seating isn't all that great. And it's a frigging ugly stadium. For a half billion dollars, there should be steel and glass. For that much money, there should be freaking recliners instead of the regular seats. Seriously though, whether the Jets stay in Jersey or not, I just want them to get their own house, by themselves. As long as they stay within 2 hours of NYC, I'm cool with it. I'm just sick of our team being the G-Men's personal bitch.
Woody and Cross are only getting a taste of what the Gianyts have in store for their new Tenants. That's right TENANTS!!! Hopefully Woody will need to sell the team and get a owner who cares about all the fans not just the ones on the Jersey side. Bring the Jets back home to Queens. That's where they belong!
This is so funny!!! I wish all those assholes who were whining about the WSS project and no tailgating would post here. What happen to all their arguments about stadium cost being cheaper in NJ??? By the time this thing will get built, the cost will be at $2 billion...at that point it would have been cheaper to build in NYC!!! So be it...I am almost at the point where I hope this deal falls through just to piss off all those people who would rather go to a game in NJ so they can drunk in the parking lot as opposed to watching the game.
Well, I guess I am one of those a**holes who thought a NJ stadium was much more prudent, but that is water under the bridge. The point of your response is ludicrous though. There is no way a shared stadium in NJ will ever cost more than an independently owned stadium in NYC. You cannot make that argument with a straight face....
ROTFLMAO! You have made several gtreat points and they will not come here to do battle with you! They were wrong then and will be wrong now. The JETS belong in NYC!
The rest of the article is the same old crap to me and I didn't learn much, except for this: "Tensions boiled over last month in the dispute over the teams' final exhibition games this season, in which the Giants will host the New England Patriots and the Jets will host the Philadelphia Eagles. Both the Jets and the Giants wanted to play their games Aug. 31, because it would allow for 10 days of rest before the regular-season opener on Sept. 10. The Jets argued they should be allowed the Thursday night date because the Giants played on the comparable date last year. The Giants claimed they had the right to the date because they had a contract to play New England before the Jets had a deal to play Philadelphia. With the two sides unable to reach a compromise -- both teams listed an Aug. 31 home game on their Web sites -- the matter went to the NFL commissioner's office, which settles all disputes between franchises. The league sided with the Giants because they were the first to file their contract. The Jets are now scheduled to host the Eagles the night after the Giants game." Now at least I know when the Eagle preseason game is being played. I've got some friends from South Jersey who are Eagle fans, that I'm bringing to the game. Up until today, I thought it was going to be Aug 31, a Thursday night. Now it's apparently Sept 1, the Friday night right before Labor Day, with all the traffic on the road. Way to go Giants.... Really pisses me off...
