Rich bastard pissing match over West Side stadium continues

NY mayor rips Cablevision over anti-stadium ads (ESPN.com)

So Mayor Bloomy is trying to get the city to help finance his pet project, a West Side stadium for the Jets/Olympics-cum-expansion to the Javits Center. Cablevision, which owns Madsion Square Garden opposes it, naturally...

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Cablevision Systems Corp., the primary opponent of a $1.4 billion sports complex on the West Side of Manhattan, has produced a series of television ads that have become increasingly disparaging of the mayor.

The advertisements, which air regularly on television and radio, claim that the city's $300 million contribution to the project makes no sense given its potential budget deficits for the next three years. Cablevision also is concerned that a new stadium would compete for entertainment events with Madison Square Garden, located a few blocks away...

Bloomberg has countered that a new stadium and an expansion of the adjacent Jacob K. Javits Convention Center would bring the New York Jets back to town from New Jersey, provide badly needed economic activity to an underdeveloped area of the city with minimal effect on the city budget and give the city a shot at hosting the 2012 Olympics.

Bloomy: "Well, I don't know why the stockholders of Cablevision put up with it. Cablevision has probably spent the same amount of money producing ads that the tax break that the taxpayers of this state have given them."

MSG Chairman James Dolan: "The mayor is trying to hide a flawed and financially risky plan by taking cheap shots at Madison Square Garden."

But here is the best part (well, other than the laughable notion that the Olympic Games will somehow bring money to the city):
"I think the coach is a good coach. He could use a lot more money. They'd be better off spending their money there than (on) these ridiculous ads."

Um, Bloomy, you do realize that the Knicks are well over the cap, and have one of the highest payrolls in the league? Are you seriously suggesting that what the Knicks need is more players like Allan Houston, Anfernee Hardaway, Moochie Norris, Jerome Williams and Kurt fucking Thomas? (see: list of NBA player contracts by Patricia Bender)