Bruce Ratner got state approval for his project based on promises of 2,250 units of "affordable" housing and 15,000 permanent jobs. He's deliverd a money losing arena and parking lots. Yet, here is Reverend Al Sharpton (via DNAinfo.com) today at a press event touting gospel concerts at Ratner and Prokhorov's House that Eminent Domain Built:
...With the arena now poised to open in September, [Reverend Herbert] Daughtry praised Ratner for delivering on promised amenities like a health center and meditation room at the new arena.
Sharpton echoed those comments. "I can say without contradition that Bruce Ratner has lived up to everything he said and more," Sharpton said to a hearty round of applause. "He is an example of what corporate accountability and partnership is all about."
Actually, there is plenty of contradiction. The four big promises of job creation, affordable housing, so-called "blight removal," and the creation of open space have all amounted to big failures two years after the arena groundbreaking. Contraray to Sharpton's mind-boggling comments, Bruce Ratner has lived up to nearly nothing he has said about Atlantic Yards.
Just today it came to light that the promised new rail yard construction start, which the MTA claimed to be a big benefit, is being pushed back.
As for Bruce Ratner being an
"example of what corporate accountability and partnership is all about" is Sharpton referring to all those associated with Ratner's firm who have been indicted or convicted, or perhaps those who are suing him. Or perhaps he is talking about the 8 groups (out of hundreds in Brooklyn) he partnered with for the Atlantic Yards Community Benefits Agreement, five of which didn't exist prior to the announcement of Atlantic Yards.
