ALBANY, N.Y. (May 18, 2005) -- A key vote on the proposal to build a Manhattan stadium for the New York Jets and for potential use in the 2012 Olympics now is scheduled for May 25.
The state Public Authorities Control Board was to have voted on the proposal today, but postponed the vote 18 hours before when legislative leaders made it clear they weren't ready to commit $300 million to the project. New York City officials will attend the next meeting, Gov. George Pataki said.
"There has been a request of further disclosure and discussion," said board chairman John Cape, who is Pataki's budget director. He said there will be additional briefings with the representatives of Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Republican Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.
Silver wants to know more about the project, said his spokesman, Charles Carrier. Silver is also worried the project might compete for funds with downtown, part of his district, which is slowly recovering from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"I do have a real serious problem with the 24 million square feet of commercial space that is part of that (stadium proposal) and is competition for downtown," Silver said. "The downtown redevelopment has been anything but a success right now, four years away from Sept. 11."
The delay "doesn't help the bid, but it doesn't imperil it," Pataki said. "The stadium is still a cornerstone for the Olympic bid and I continue to believe it's going to happen." AP NEWS
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