New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani will not attend the
opening ceremonies for the Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight at the
U.S. Open "to protest a contract" with the USTA "that obliges
the city to pay fines when aircraft fly over and disrupt
tournament matches," according to Clifford Krauss of the N.Y.
TIMES. By declining to be featured this evening, Giuliani
"shunned what most politicians would consider a prime
opportunity for exposure" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/23). The Mayor also
"blasted" USTA President Harry Marmion for "misrepresenting"
the USTA's contract with the city and said he would never
attend the Open until the "outrageous" and "stupid" flight
provision is changed. The USTA can fine the city up to
$325,000 if planes fly over the National Tennis Center during
a match. While Marmion said that the money from fines levied
against planes went to the city, Giuliani responded, "Harry
Marmion isn't telling you the truth about the contract. ...
[A]ll the money will go to the tenant. The tenant is the
USTA" (Maureen Fan, N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/25). Marmion also
added that the lease provisions only apply "if there are fly-
over for other than safety reasons" (N.Y. POST, 8/25).
Marmion offered to meet with Giuliani after the Open: "One
can always seek modification. But we're not going to do it
with a gun to our head during an Open" (N.Y. POST, 8/24).
TICKET SNAFU: The "disappointment" of U.S. Open ticket
subscribers regarding their new seat location at Arthur Ashe
stadium was examined by Monique Yazigi of the N.Y. TIMES.
The stadium "has most ticket holders sitting 30 feet higher
than in the old stadium" separated by two stacked rings of
luxury suites." The 89 luxury suites, ranging from $85,000-
100,000 during the Open, have all been leased for three to
five years. The USTA's ticket office "has had to triple its
staff in the last five months to field complaints" from
ticketholders. USTA Ticket Manager Philip Molite: "It's been
awful. The outcry took us by surprise." The USTA's Suzanne
Maguire: "The reality is, when you build a new stadium, the
seats are going to be different" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/24).
REAX: A NEWSDAY editorial wrote that both the "stadium
and its name are appropriate" (NEWSDAY, 8/23). In N.Y.,
George Vecsey called it a "kinder, gentler new stadium."
Vecsey: "It is fitting that the new stadium and remodeled
grounds have a dollop of ... good taste" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/24).
In Boston, Cindy Shmerler writes fans "will find hard to
fault" the new facility (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/25).
