| Land
of Opportunity
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New Yankee Stadium will revitalize the
South Bronx
By
Rafael Martinez-Alequín
For Yankees Magazine
November 9, 2006
Some people say using current parkland to build
a new Yankee Stadium is a misuse of a precious community resource.
But in reality, Macombs Dam Park, the site of the future Stadium,
reaches out in need of help everyday, Grass in the park grows like
hair on a balding man, and the sad upkeep of the park confirms many
derogatory stereotypes that have burdened the Bronx for decades.
In order to build the new Stadium, 400 trees will be sacrificed.
The carbon monoxide suckers will be sorely missed. But in their
place will be young, strong saplings ready to do the job. After
the completion of the new Stadium, there will be another Macombs
Dam Park, perhaps with a different name, but with better lighting.
It will be more welcoming for a new generation of Bronx residents.
The buzz surrounding the construction of new stadiums has an ancient
parallel: the Roman Coliseum.
Built in AD 80, it was the first tax subsidized sports arena. It
had its detractors, though. Local residents were not happy. But
the construction of the Coliseum included a new technique using
volcanic ash that made the structure waterproof. As a result of
the new structure, the Romans government was obliged to create an
infrastructure to support it, which included an aqueduct system
that pumped water into the arena to simulate naval battles. Clean
water made bathing a habit and body odor a memory. Now that may
not seem like much but try walking around all day in full body armor
in July.
The Coliseum was far from perfect. It was built on the backs of
poor people who had no choice. Many of the bloody sporting events
held there were not only immoral but led to the decline of the Roman
Empire. Yet the Coliseum was an acoustical marvel, and the revenue
it brought in funded other aspects of Roman society.
Daniel L. Doctoroff, New York City’s deputy mayor for economy
development and rebuilding, believes that the new Yankee Stadium
will also have a positive lasting impact.
“The stadium will play a major role in the neighborhood’s
revitalization, and will be central to our redevelopment of Bronx
Parks,” Doctoroff said in a recent interview at City Hall.
“This is a great development for the community. The stadium
will bring jobs, parks, and an influx of investment to the community.”
According to Doctoroff, the construction of the Stadium will create
an estimated 3,600 jobs. Once built, the new Stadium will necessitate
900 new permanent jobs.
Adjacent to the new Stadium, the city will create more than 24 acres
of parkland, playing fields, and recreational facilities, including
over 16 acres of newly green space along the Harlem River waterfront
and current Stadium site. The facilities will include a running
track and soccer field, little league and softball fields, tennis
and handball courts, and even a basketball court with bleachers.
The parks and walkways will open to the public all year-round.
“We’re very excited about this project,” Doctoroff
said. “The park is poised to become an important hub for the
South Bronx as well as a destination for all New Yorkers. This is
a wonderful opportunity for the City and the local residents. We
look forward to moving ahead with the project.”
Yankees president Randy Levine said that the new Stadium will have
all the tradition of the old stadium will have the tradition of
the old stadium and will include all of the modern amenities that
today’s new ballparks have to offer. With an estimated $1
billion price tag, which includes building costs and debt payments,
the new stadium will open in 2009.
“There will be a great hall when you walk into the stadium
that will be used for events,” Levine said. “The idea
is to make this a year-round destination,”
The stadium has supporters among the long-time South Bronx residents
such as Julio Pabón, a businessman and a resident of the
area since 1958.
“A new Stadium is very positive and will uplift the area for
the benefit of the Bronx,” said Pabón
New Yankee Stadium probably won’t last as long as the Roman
Coliseum. But just as the Coliseum revitalized Rome, the stadium
promises the same for the Bronx
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