The NYSCC (New York Sports and Convention Center) is a project proposed for construction on a platfrom over Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) rail yards on the far west side of the island of Manhattan in New York City. The arena would be an all-weather facility with a retractable roof, allowing it to be used as either a 200,000 square foot (19,000 m²) indoor convention hall, or a 75,000 seat indoor/outdoor sporting event stadium. The stadium plan is a cornerstone of the City of New York's bid to host the Games of the XXX Olympiad in 2012. Ultimately, its major full-time sporting team tenant would be the New York Jets of the National Football League.

Controversy

The NYSCC proposal has been as controversial among New Yorkers as the Olympic bid itself, with much disagreement on the viability or wisdom of the facility's siting and public subsidy, as well as the fairness of its approval process. Media conglomerate Cablevision, owner of the Madison Square Garden arena just three blocks from the rail yards, has led fierce opposition to the NYSCC, fearing the impact such a facility could have on the Garden's business.

In 2004, a media battle broke out in full force, with both the Jets and Cablevision spending heavily on advertising for and against the project, respectively. While New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg vocally endorsed the stadium plan, going to far as to offer rezoning guarantees offered to no other party, MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow called the Jets' $100 million offer for air rights over the yards an "insult."

On February 4, 2005, Cablevision submitted an unsolicited $600 million bid for the project site, six times the Jets offer and still below what many said the site could command on the open market. The MTA, a state agency deeply in debt, subsequently set a March 21, 2005 deadline for additional bidders to submit proposals. This time, the Jets raised their offer to $720 million, on the condition that the city and state pay for the supporting platform. TransGas Energy Systems , a newcomer to the process, offered over $1 billion for the site, but with a requirement that the MTA buy electricity from its proposed plant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Cablevision also bid an undisclosed amount reputed to be higher than that of the Jets.

The New York Jets bid to built the New York Sports and Convention Center over the Hudson Rail Yards on the West Side of Manhattan, was appoved by the MTA's board of directors on Thursday, March 31, 2005. The winning offer was $720 million, far shorter than the $760 million Cablevision was offering, and much less than TranGas Energy Systems ' offer of $1.05 billion. Many people might say that Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor George Pataki had a hand in winning this bid to get the stadium built for the Jets and the possible 30th Summer Olympics in 2012. The Jets and NYC2012 (the olympic bid committee) plan to breakground in July 2005, the same month as which the IOC will decide on the 2012 Summer Games.

A $350 million platform must be built on the 13 acre(53,000 m²) rail yard site so the 75,000 seat retractable roof stadium can be built on top. The New York Jets hopes to open the stadium in time for the 2009 NFL season. On that note, the NFL on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 awarded the Jets Super Bowl XLIV(44) in 2010.

External links

• NYSCC official website
• "Jets and Rivals Increase Bids for Railyards" New York Times, March 22, 2005
• "Gang greenbacks" New York Daily News, March 22, 2005