Greed Grows A Stadium In NY

The New York Yankees are about to get their new stadium. After months of planning, years if you consider how long they wanted their new home, the most successful franchise in baseball history is set to gain approval of Yankee Stadium number two.

It wasn't easy. In fact, the team had to put together an impressive community benefits package, amounting to about $1 million a year for 40 years, to compensate for the destruction of parkland required to build the new stadium.

The Mets are attempting to build a new stadium, as well. Unlike the Yankees, the Mets only have to destroy their existing parking lot to get their stadium built. And, unlike the Yankees, the Mets do not have a negative image in Queens when it comes to helping the community. Over the years, the Yankees have been viewed by many in the South Bronx as an entity that would rather see the community fall off the earth than work with it. The Mets have never had this problem.

The Mets have reportedly proposed a $200,000 per year community fund for Little League uniforms as part of their push to get their stadium approved. Seems reasonable enough. Shea Stadium already sits in Willets Point, and there will be no real negative impact: Queens is not losing any parkland.

This has not stopped many in the Queens City Council delegation from acting out one of the worst stereotypes often associated with elected officials: greed.

When some in the Queens delegation saw what The Bronx got, specifically Hiram Monserrate, Tony Avella and John Liu, dollar signs apparently lit up their eyes. If they can have it, why can't we?

It would seem that there is a very simple explanation as to why Queens would not receive the same compensation as The Bronx for the new stadium. Compensation usually comes only when something is taken away from you; Queens really isn't losing anything.

But Monserrate insists that his home borough is losing more than people think. He notes that no one ever compensated Queens for the original use of parkland to build Shea in the first place, and that a billion dollar corporation like the Mets should have no problem cashing up to help their local community, especially since the team will receive substantial tax breaks as part of their construction deal.

The Councilman did acknowledge that $1 million per year might be a tad bit too much. But the Councilman did state that any agreement without sufficient funds for Queens community groups and Little Leagues, is a non-starter.

"We're advocating for jobs and businesses in Queens," said Monserrate. "That's our job."

As for the agreement negotiated between the Yankees and The Bronx delegation, you can almost hear Monserrate salivating when you mention it. "It's pretty darn good," he said.

The fact that Monserrate is leading this particular fight is no surprise to political observers. The man has ambition, and does not hide his desire for higher elected office once his time in the Council comes to an end. He has been frequently mentioned as a potential challenger to State Senator John Sabini, and two years ago teased a potential run against Congressman Joseph Crowley before eventually deciding against it. To run for bigger office you need to take on bigger issues, and nothing is bigger in Queens than the Mets.

Nevertheless, those Queens delegation members who are more sympathetic to the Mets now fear that their colleagues have been backed into a corner. Maybe $1 million a year for the life of the lease was way too high, but accepting just $200,000 at this point will make the delegation look weak. In an e-mail to his fellow council members, Peter Vallone, Jr., perhaps seeing the delegation's bargaining power vanishing right before his eyes, urged Monserrate and others to back off their hefty demands.

"One million dollars per year for the life of the lease? Why not ask them to pencil me in at shortstop and [Council Member Joseph] Addabbo at first base?" wrote Vallone. "C'mon people, let's come back to earth."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has taken an even stronger stance against Monserrate and his co-conspirators, publicly comparing their tactics to that of a shakedown. The councilman called the Mayor's comments unfortunate, and said it showed a double standard since Bloomberg was virtually silent when The Bronx and the Yankees made their deal.

He noted a report by the Independent Budget Office released this past week that estimates the Mets will save roughly $300 million on the backs of taxpayers through this deal while the city will directly pay $177 million for the stadium. 

For Monserrate, if the Mets want their stadium they better get their checkbook ready.