You’re OUTTA here!

Because I hail from the (not so) great state of New Jersey, I have been genetically modified to bleed New York Yankees and distastefully hate every other baseball team in Major League Baseball. After hearing the Yankees received funding to build a new stadium, I was not only angry but baffled. \n“New Yankee Stadium” is slated to open April 2009 and will be located just north of the existing stadium. The stadium’s exterior will look exactly like the current one, but the interior will be a suspended structure. \nThe new stadium will include a “great hall” that will have five to six times more square footage for retail than the original. Currently, Yankee stadium holds up to 57,468 people. The new stadium will only hold approximately 51,800 people but will include 60 new luxury suites (yeah, make more expensive seating – that’s what the Yankees need). \nAlong with the new stadium, the project will add a hotel, conference center and high school for sports-related careers.\nThe cost of all that? A reported $1.02 billion. That’s right.\nThe new stadium will receive more than $200 million from New York City for parking facilities, parkland along the waterfront and other work related to the stadium. The Yankees themselves will provide $800 million in private financing.\nAlthough the Yankees will be privately funding some of this work (they should; they are the highest-paid team in the MLB, with a total team salary of $195,229,045), the city will have to front more than $200 million toward a stadium that is going to look the same from the outside and seat about 6,000 fewer fans. That doesn’t seem right.\nAnd how is it that the Yankees can afford to build another stadium, when the New York Jets are not only forced to share a stadium with the Giants, but they have to play in New Jersey? Don’t get me wrong – I know the Jets play football, but how ridiculous is it that a team doesn’t have a stadium in the state they play for?\nMaybe the city should think about putting money toward better schooling in Harlem. Or maybe they can use that money to repave streets and clean out the subway system. Maybe even throw a couple dollars to the homeless guy staring at you on the street. At least fork over a couple G’s and give the Jets/Giants a place to play in NYC. \nHonestly, the Yankees should save their money and revamp their current stadium. When I went to Atlanta last year for spring break, I had the opportunity to take a guided tour through Turner Field. Not only was I allowed in the press box and onto the field, I got to physically stand next to the $10 million high-definition video screen. The Atlanta Braves were able to make something new out of their stadium without spending a billion dollars and, although Turner Field houses fewer fans, it looks, feels and smells better than Yankee Stadium.\nAnd if they do decide to continue with this new stadium, they can take the extra money from funding and install a video screen (similar to Turner Field) – but on the outside of the stadium, so the 6,000 fans who don’t have seats during the season can see it from the streets.