New York's top court says the state can use eminent domain to force homeowners and businesses to sell their properties for a massive development in Brooklyn that includes a new arena for the Nets.

In a 6-1 ruling Tuesday, the Court of Appeals says the Empire State Development Corp.'s finding that the area was blighted was enough to justify taking the land.

A group of tenants and owners claim it was unconstitutional, that developer Bruce Ratner's proposed $4.9 billion, 22-acre Atlantic Yards project mainly enriches private interests, while the state constitution requires public use for taking land.

Ratner's proposed development includes office towers, apartments and a new arena for the NBA's Nets.

Yeah...uh, they aren't a threat to land LeBron or anyone else. Besides, like any other construction project, you add a year at the least. LeBron isn't playing at the Izod center for 3 years just because he knows Jay-Z. He also isn't giving up a chance to play in MSG to play in brooklyn, again, because Jay Z owns 0.1% of the Nets as a marketing pawn!

And I've said it before, we are the KNICKS, we play in Manhattan at MSG. No single basketball player alive would take the NETS money over the KNICKS money. It's just not happening. Would any player take the Clippers money over the Lakers money? OF COURSE NOT!

There is no reason to give a crap about the NETS. None.

Remember when the Nets played on Long Island? Did anyone care then? No, they didn't. So it doesn't matter if the Nets even move to the post office! They aren't the Knicks and they aren't going to draw any single big name FA over the Knicks.

The whole West Side Stadium was another example. Bloomberg is all about stadiums and corporate interests. I can't stand him.

Business is important. People's lives are more important. History has shown that Stadiums don't create positive economic environments by themselves. They create a lot of money for a few, and a lot of little money for a bunch. But they do not anchor an area.

Look at Yankee stadium. The most famous baseball stadium in the world. 2 blocks away at night and you better watch your ass!

oohah

MS wrote:I would be a little worried about the nets

Harris-Williams-CDR-Lee-Lopez-Draft pick and more cap room then us. They are better at nearly every position and have two bonofide cornerstones. Not that Lebron would go to NJ but that team is much more talented then Cleveland when they are healthy.

Undisputedly true. Even their backups are better than the Knicks. The Knicks barely beat the B+ team. I added the + because Devin Harris got to play a few minutes.

oohah

Why is this lost on you guys?

Why is the perception that we could dump Jared or Curry and offer LeBron a 2nd max FA of his choosing...to play on the stage of MSG...lost in the thought that the 0-13 Nets roster somehow beats us out? A team that will stay in Jersey through 2014? Will beat us out for Free Agents?

Really? The Nets nice roster is still absolute garbage. But yet somehow our young roster is worse in your guys eyes? Worse enough that you'd rather play in the Izod center through 2014 with a prayer that you'd play in Brooklyn one day......... over playing for the KNICKS at MSG in MANHATTAN?

Really? You'd choose the NETS if you were an UFA and both the Knicks and Nets could offer you the same money?

I must really be losing touch then........

oohah wrote:The Atlantic yards is just another example of how Bloomberg thinks the city is a corporation and does not respect the fact that people live their lives here. He should be totally against it!

The whole West Side Stadium was another example. Bloomberg is all about stadiums and corporate interests. I can't stand him.

Business is important. People's lives are more important. History has shown that Stadiums don't create positive economic environments by themselves. They create a lot of money for a few, and a lot of little money for a bunch. But they do not anchor an area.

Look at Yankee stadium. The most famous baseball stadium in the world. 2 blocks away at night and you better watch your ass!

oohah

well stated, oohah.

Cosmic wrote:They are still.... the.... NETS.

Why is this lost on you guys?

Why is the perception that we could dump Jared or Curry and offer LeBron a 2nd max FA of his choosing...to play on the stage of MSG...lost in the thought that the 0-13 Nets roster somehow beats us out? A team that will stay in Jersey through 2014? Will beat us out for Free Agents?

Really? The Nets nice roster is still absolute garbage. But yet somehow our young roster is worse in your guys eyes? Worse enough that you'd rather play in the Izod center through 2014 with a prayer that you'd play in Brooklyn one day......... over playing for the KNICKS at MSG in MANHATTAN?

Really? You'd choose the NETS if you were an UFA and both the Knicks and Nets could offer you the same money?

I must really be losing touch then........

That 0-13 roster does not count Harris, Lee, or Yi. The Nets could draft John Wall and ship out some of these other players in a package for a better single talent.

You're right that the Nets are like the Clippers except the Knicks are run like the Clippers recently.

The bigger question is: Is LeBron committed to winning a title more than he wants glamour? If he is, the Nets are a more logical choice.

oohah

Andrew wrote:The Nets are setup nicely with young players. They most likely will not have as much cap space as the Knicks unless they trade the high pick they are headed towards this year for future assets. That top 4 pick will end up costing them ~4M in cap space if they keep it.

See, there is an advantage to not having a pick this year. :)

John Wall or Willie Warren >>>>> 4million dollars in cap space.

An 18ppg 7ast all star point guard and a 18ppg 9rebs and 2blks sophomore center. Young players like CDR and T Will looking like very good future starters. Pius 4-5 more young role players,if the Nets get to truthfully say to any FA " you will be in NY in 2-3 seasons"................ you better be afraid of the nets.

93BUICK wrote:

djsunyc wrote:it's good to have competetion. nets in bk is a good thing, not a bad one.

Unless you live down the street and the stupid apartment buildings are going to cover 70 percent of your sun exposure. Stupid Nets are going to ruin my neighborhood. I'll take it if the Knicks don't suck and I can watch them whoop ass on the Nyets a few times a year.

It doesn't effect anyone that never gave a damn about bed-sty/downtown brooklyn....

essentially this deal will turn the atlantic yards area into 34th street/times square....rents will go up and NYC will lose yet another piece of what makes NYC....well NYC.

My motto has always been stay outta Brooklyn. Atlantic avenue has always been a ball buster as far as traffic. once that thing is built it will be outta control. This will displace alot of people not just the eminant domain areas. This is just a hughe scam to get the property value raised throughout all of Brooklyn therefore pushing out the middle class and lower middle class. NYC wants to expand the tourism to Brooklyn because the Atlantic avenue are is only 1 or 2 stops away from manhatten.....

Like I said this is a huge scam and its been going on the last 10 years or so....people are fighting but its already been going on throughout the city and its now basically a routine situation. I'm so sick of goverment and corperations....people need to fight this even if they never been down there. It's not about competition for the Knicks....thats something trivial to take the focus off the real situation.