This is truly an amazing year in New York.
Never before in any city have two ballparks the size and scope of what we are seeing in the Bronx and Flushing opened at the same time.
Never before has over $2 BILLION been spent on sports facilities in one city opening at the same time.
Six and a half years ago a nightmare descended upon this city. At the time both the Mets and Yankees had been discussing new stadia with the city. Following 9/11 those discussions were put on hold so that the city could recover and rebuild.
Recover we did – rebuild we have not.
Six and a half years later, two structures designed for a game have been designed, constructed, and now opened. Several hundred million dollars in city and state “assistance” has helped in getting these structures built.
Yet just over 9 miles away from each site there remains a big hole in the ground where two office towers once stood.
Think about that for a moment.
6 1/2 years
$2+ Billion
2 new, state-of-the-art ballparks
0 towers
I’m not trying to be holier-than-though. I have been to Citi Field and will go to the new Yankee Stadium.
But something in our collective make-up just seems a bit screwed up when more importance and a higher priority is placed on making sure that our teams have the best stadiums they can have, while even a simple memorial to those who were killed on 9/11 remains unbuilt.
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