By The TimesLedger
It appears that the city and state have reached an agreement with the Mets organization on the financing of $500 million stadium that will replace the existing Shea Stadium. Although we confess to a measure of nostalgia for the stadium where the “Miracle Mets” taught us to believe, we understand that time marches on. The time has come to build a new stadium.
In this political season there will likely be debate about whether or not tax dollars should be used to finance this or any other new stadium. On this we will side with the mayor who maintains that a successful major league team generates millions of dollars for the city's economy.
But, before the city and state sign on the bottom line, some thought should be given to keeping Mets games within the reach of the average Queens family. There was a time when an outing at a major league ballpark was affordable fun. Not anymore. To take a family of four to a Mets game, including tickets, parking and food, can easily run well over $200. And that does not include the cost of souvenirs. This puts Shea out of reach for many families.
Owners Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday will likely argue that the ticket prices reflect the salaries demanded by the league's top players. At 13 games under 500, it will be hard to convince the public that this year's talent is worth the cost of admission.
Diehard fans, including those willing to take out a second mortgage to buy season tickets, might overlook the high salaries if the Mets can build a winning team. But no one should forgive the miserable quality and exorbitant cost of food at Shea. Never in the course of human history have so many fans paid so much for so little. We'd like to know if there is even one Mets fan who thinks he or she is getting a good deal from Aramark, the vendor that has the exclusive refreshment contract at Shea Stadium. There is not a single food item for sale at Shea that is not grotesquely overpriced. Even the Crackerjacks are a rip off. The same size bag that sells for $3.50 at Shea can be purchased at the nearby Pathmark for 99 cents.
It seems to us that the city could broker a deal in which the Mets would dump Aramark into the New York harbor in exchange for other vendors who show at least a little respect for families who'd like to watch a professional ballgame without having to pay nearly $10 for a soggy hot dog and a cup of soda that's mostly ice.
As painful as it can be at times -this year for example – we are Mets fans and we hope the Mets will continue to call Flushing their home for generations yet to come. If that means a fancy new stadium with a retractable dome and high-tech toys, so be it. But if all this means pricing middle-income Queens families out of the park, fuggedaboudit.
Build PS 499
Although we respect the concerns of the residents who live near Queens College, we believe that the City Council made the right decision in approving the building of a new public school on the college campus.
PS 499, the Queens College School for Math, Science and Technology, will accommodate 534 students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Area residents are afraid that the school will create even greater traffic congestion in the area. The School Construction Authority says the school can be designed in such a way as to provide ample parking for busses bringing children to and from the school.
We agree with City Councilman Mike Able who explained: “The dire need to put up a new school at the Queens College campus outweighs any other needs at this point.”
