The Mets have "failed to occupy more than 20,000 square feet of retail space as the team begins its third season in its $800 million Citi Field stadium, the primary reason the Queens stadium has failed to receive a final sign-off from the city," according to Michael Howard Saul of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. An N.Y. official yesterday confirmed that the Mets “have yet to receive a final certificate of occupancy for the stadium because a significant portion of the facility is empty.” A Mets official said that team execs have been "actively trying to fill the space but have been hampered by the fact that the property faces ‘the auto repair and junk yards across the street.’" The Yankees also have “failed to receive a final certificate of occupancy for the team's new $1.5 billion stadium in the Bronx, but for entirely different reasons.” City Hall officials said that the Yankees “neither sought nor received final approval from the Public Design Commission.” The Department of Buildings said that there are “23 issues that are preventing Yankees Stadium from receiving its final certificate of occupancy.” Those include “minor electrical and plumbing issues and some problems with signs, as well as the team's failure to get approval from the Design Commission.” Yankees spokesperson Alice McGillion said, "There were minor signage issues that we are planning to clear up." She added the team expects the panel's "final approval will be forthcoming when that is done." Both teams have been “getting temporary certificates of occupancy from the Department of Buildings” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/27).
