Mets co-Owner Nelson Doubleday said yesterday that
renovating Shea Stadium "might be the Mets' best bet because
government funding for the state-of-the-art $500 million
ballpark has not been forthcoming," according to Dave
Goldiner of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Doubleday: "I don't see a
great deal of taxpayer money to build the New York Mets a
stadium." Doubleday said the club could stay in a renovated
Shea for "one-tenth of the money or one-hundredth of the
money" of a new ballpark. It has been more than "two years"
since team co-Owner Fred Wilpon announced plans to build a
new ballpark by 2003, but Goldiner adds that Doubleday's
comments "do not necessarily reflect the position of the
Mets," as he is "not close to Wilpon, who has a much larger
role" in the team's operation. Wilpon: "If that's what he
said, that's what he said" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/28).
Doubleday: "The more I look at it, this (Shea Stadium) is
the best place to play baseball. ... I think we can
refurbish this place" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 9/28).
ARE YOU WITH ME? Jets Owner Robert Wood Johnson, on
possibly relocating his team if a new stadium is built on
Manhattan's West Side: "We are the New York Jets, aren't we?
We are not the New Jersey Jets, is that correct? ... The
Jets only need the stadium eight days a year. After that
[N.Y. Mayor Rudy Giuliani] and [NY Gov. George Pataki]
understand it can be used for huge concerts, other
entertainment and major sporting events" (N.Y. POST, 9/27).
