City Gives Up Luxury Boxes at Yankee Stadium, CitiField

Photograph of the new Yankee Stadium under construction last fall by skyliner72 on Flickr

Realizing that talking about touch economic times while simultaneously keeping luxury boxes—for city use— at the new Yankee Stadium and CitiField is not great for his image, Mayor Bloomberg has agreed to give up the boxes in exchange for the cash. According to the Post, "The administration is asking both teams to peddle the boxes - the priciest go for $850,000 - to the highest bidders, and put the money in the city kitty over the next five years."

The NY Times points out "the Bloomberg administration...worked fervently to secure" the luxury boxes. Criticism mounted last November after e-mails correspondence between city officials and the Yankees was made public, revealing things like how the "city lawyers threatened to not make the request to the I.R.S. for the use of the tax-exempt financing unless the Yankees would consider providing the luxury suite." And when pressed by the media, Bloomberg administration officials claimed the seats would be rewards for city workers, though that wasn't mentioned in much of the correspondence.

Assemblyman Richard Brodsky isn't impressed by the city's decision to give up the boxes, "This is just an embarrassment. The city is broke, we can't fund the MTA, we can't fund schools, and we're giving them $400 million," referring to the Yankees' tax-free bonds, "And, by the way, we're giving up free luxury suites. This comes under the heading of 'give me a break.' "

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By Jen Chung in News on January 7, 2009 10:06 AM

Comments [rss]

Wza

First he's fixing potholes, now Bloomberg gives up on the luxury suites?

Election season has begun!

Dee_Snutz

Rumors are that Bloomberg will give up the suites for the right amount of children's blood. Apparently he needs it to live.

Pull My Finger

That picture is making me dizzy.

FrankMartin

#2

Couldn't agree more. The bonds for stadiums and other breaks they get are crazy. That players owners and other get rich is crap. But corporate welfare is everywhere.

I do agree, that giving the boxes up is nuts. Can't we keep them and then auction the tickets off or resell the boxes. 400 million in tax free bonds and we get....

Or, if the mayor really want to make a point they should keep them, but never use them. A visual reminder at every home game that these spoiled pro teams and their employees exist as a result of their fans as well as taxpayers who could give a shit about the child's game they play.

Outter Burrougher

I disagree with never using them to prove a point - I just don't think that the teams would care that they were empty. Also, I don't know what the city's box agreement is, but don't the agreements usually have clauses that prevent the "owner" from profiting off of the sale of it use? I know everyone gets around that somehow, but really, the city doing the same thing wouldn't be something we could hide.

whitecastlerock

Where was Brodsky when all of these under the table dealings were going on? Was he always this vocal about the topic? I have nothing against him and appreciate his candor. It seems like it is too late for his sentiments to have any impact on the situation.

kapusta

There's no such thing as "Professional Sports".

What we have here is the "Socialist Welfare Sports/Government Unholy Fusion".

...and what the heck...i agree with Brodsky...why give up the luxury suites?

kc2slg

Maybe the city should save the boxes, for housing people who will be left homeless when their homes burn down due to firehouse closings. Anyone notice that City Island event the other day?