Tuesday night New York Governor George Pataki signed into law the Legislature’s economic development budget for 2005-2006, which rejects the Governor’s requested $300 million subsidy for the West Side stadium, considered a major setback for stadium proponents who had planned to have State funding for the stadium approved in this year’s budget. The stadium is considered crucial to New York’s bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
According to a Hell’s Kitchen media release, with no subsidy in this year’s budget state funding for the stadium remains uncertain.
Also, there are other major hurdles before the stadium can become a reality, including legal challenges and the approval of the Public Authorities Control Board, which is controlled by the same legislative leaders who rejected state funding for the stadium, says the Hell’s Kitchen media release.
Two New York state officials, the majority leaders and speaker, have reportedly voiced serious misgivings about the stadium and have announced that they will not consider the project until legal issues are resolved and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chooses the host city for the 2012 Summer Games in July.
