N.Y. Facility Notes: Mets Selling All Imaginable Items From Shea

Mets Dugout One Of Items To Be Auctioned Off From Shea Stadium

In N.Y., Olshan & Mokha reported "more than 2,500 items [at Shea Stadium] have been put up for sale, including absurdly big-ticket items like the Mets' dugout, with an asking price of $100,000." The Mets' '69 and '86 World Series banners "are also available, for $50,000 apiece." MeiGray Group Vintage Dir Stu Oxenhorn, whose company is conducting the sale, said that in order "to be eligible to buy the memorabilia, fans must plunk down a $2,500 deposit." Olshan & Mokha noted that "almost everything in the ballpark -- including the letters S, H, E and A on the outside of the stadium -- is fair game" (N.Y. POST, 9/13). Olshan also reported the Shea Stadium apple "won't be rotting on some big-buck bidder's lawn," because it is "heading to Citi Field." Oxenhorn: "The old apple will have a home at the new stadium." A new apple "will also be installed there" (N.Y. POST, 9/14).

KEEPING A SECRET: In N.Y., Greg Smith reports the city of N.Y. and the Yankees "secretly crafted a letter" that U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) "used to lobby the IRS for tax changes that would save the team $66[M]." Records indicated that this was done at the "same time Yankees [Chair] George Steinbrenner and the team's law firm, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, raised almost $25,000 for Rangel." Akin Gump's political action committee (PAC) also "donated an additional $30,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in this election cycle," and Rangel is the Chair of the committee's BOD, while Yankees President Randy Levine is a Senior Counsel at Akin Gump. The N.Y. Daily News obtained "internal e-mails and correspondence ... under the Freedom of Information Act [which showed] how the Yankees and [N.Y. Mayor Michael] Bloomberg's top deputies have worked hand in hand to win special tax breaks" for the Yankees. Additionally, Yankees execs, Akin Gump lawyers and Akin Gump's PAC "have raised $45,000 for Rangel" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/15).

Rangers Unveil Renderings Of New Rangers Locker Room And Fitness Center At MSG

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?: In N.Y., Mark Lelinwalla reported NHL Rangers C Scott Gomez and four of his teammates Friday were at MSG to "unveil artists' renderings of the new Rangers locker room and fitness center that are part of a planned $500[M] renovation of" MSG. Part of the renovation includes "curving in the middle and upper bowl areas 17 degrees to bring fans closer to the action, plus a spacious, skylit lobby entrance area and wider concourses in the arena." MSG Senior VP/Corporate Communications Barry Watkins Friday said that he "did not know how seating capacity would be affected." Construction is scheduled to begin this spring and be completed by the 2011-2012 season (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/14).