Unfulfilled Promises

[Guest TBA]

Shooting Gallery Unveils Plan to Build New York Area Production Studio in HARRISON, NEW JERSEY; Space Would Include Largest Soundstage in North America

by Eugene Hernandez

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New York City-based production company The Shooting Gallery (TSG) unveiled ambitious plans yesterday for a major production studio, set to be located in Harrison, New Jersey. TSG Chief Executive Officer Larry Meistrich told indieWIRE yesterday afternoon that the project will be funded with between $75 - $100 million that will be raised privately by Stone Pine Capital, a Denver-based financial services group. The former industrial park, now site of the as yet unnamed studio, is a 30-acre space across the Passaic River from Newark, NJ, six miles of Midtown Manhattan, Meistrich told indieWIRE. Among the features of the studio will be what Meistrich says will be the "largest soundstage in North America (almost 100,000 square feet)." Plans for the development include 10 - 15 soundstages, a backlot, production office space, and even a theme restaurant and areas to welcome tourists.

Jeffrey Leach of Stone Pine told indieWIRE late yesterday that he has secured "preliminary" interest from a handful of individuals, but he quickly cautioned that current discussions are in the very early stages. As Leach admitted, the key challenge to raising such a major level of capital for the project's development over the next 12 - 24 months will be "convincing investors that a small independent film company can compete with a company like Warner Bros., on a backlot basis." Leach added that another crucial issue is guaranteeing the support of the local government with regard to declaring the site a re-development zone for tax incentives

An industrial town that formerly housed General Motors, RCA and Otis Elevators, Harrison, N.J. appears to be open to the development. Project representatives acknowledged that the studio plan fits Harrison Mayor Raymond McDonough's plan to redevelop the town's former industrial areas; the mayor recently designated the entire 250-acre industrial area a redevelopment zone. In a statement yesterday, Mayor McDonough said, "The Shooting Gallery is a formidable partner in this venture...we are confident that the studio project will return New Jersey to the filmmaking map."

THE ONLY THING THEY DIDN'T REALIZE IS, WHO THEY WERE DEALING WITH!! ONLY OUR MAYOR AND HIS TEAM COULD SCREW THIS UP, A SURE SHOT. THEY WANTED TO COME TO HARRISON,LIKE THE METROSTARS. WHO WILL THE MAYOR BLAME FOR THAT SCREW UP?

The announcement comes months after rumors surfaced locally that The Shooting Gallery was looking for studio space in Manhattan. While Meistrich admits that he surveyed sites throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, including pier space, he eventually went to New Jersey because he "struck out" in the city. While Meistrich plans to keep TSG headquartered in Manhattan, the New Jersey development will obviously offer his company's production services subsidiary, Gun-For-Hire, the opportunity to broaden its range.

Leach told indieWIRE yesterday that the group plans to meet with town attorneys next week

WHICH TOWN ATTORNEY, THE MAYORS BROTHER IN-LAW? MURRY? CASTANO? .....?????

and Meistrich stated proudly that his architects are "furiously working away." Meistrich and Leach seem undaunted by the prospects of raising up to $100,000 for the development, despite the inherent challenges. When asked what initially got him involved with such an ambitious venture from an investment point of view, Leach quickly responded, "Larry said it was do-able."

UNLESS YOUR TALKING TO HARRISON'S POLITICAL TEAM :MAYOR, HIGINS, POWELL (1/2 THE RE-DEVELOPMENT BOARD).....AND A COUNCIL OF YES MEN!!

[Guest TBA]

Harrison, N.J., mayor fills big shoes

Ward, Janet

American City & County, Apr 1, 1995

Raymond McDonough may never be "The Mayor" of Harrison, N.J. Oh, he was elected to the position -- handily, as a matter of fact. And his stationery says "Mayor." And his secretary answers the phone, "Mayor's office."

But McDonough, who has been in office all of a few months, follows in the footsteps of Frank Rodgers, a legend in these parts. Rodgers was the mayor of Harrison, a small working class community of 14,000 people sandwiched between Jersey City and Newark, for 48 years -- 24 consecutive two-year terms. When he stepped down in january, Rodgers was the longest-serving mayor in the country.

McDonough, born and raised in the tight-knit community, is 45 years old. He has never known another mayor. So it surprises no one when McDonough refers to Rodgers as "The Mayor," as in, "When The Mayor was The Mayor...".

McDonough, who had served on the Harrison City Council for 17 years, had Rodgers' backing in the election, which turned out to be a no brainer; McDonough the anointed successor, a lifelong resident and a Democrat, swamped his Republican opponent in a town in which Democrats hold a 10-1 advantage.

But getting elected was the easy part. "It is kinda strange," McDonough admits. "Frank was the mayor my entire life. It feels strange even sitting here in his office. Those are big shoes to fill."

Rodgers ran the town like a benevolent fiefdom. He was on a number of state and county commissions and,

NOT THIS MAYOR, THAT WOULD MEAN OTHER PEOPLE WOULD SEE HE DOESN'T KNOW HIS ASS FROM HIS MOUTH

in the days before industry deserted, was a one-man job-finding agency, making sure friends and voters found and kept gainful employment.

But the last 20 years have not been kind to Harrison. Worthington Pumps, Otis Elevator, RCA and Hartz Mountain left for greener pastures, and the economy soured. Consequently, one of McDonough's first acts as mayor was to form an economic advisory committee whose purpose is to attract new industry.

GOOD JOB, GREAT JOB

Additionally, McDonough has hired 14 new police officers and 12 new firefighters and is looking at refurbishing Harrison's downtown.

I WONDER WHAT THAT NUMBER IS AT NOW?? HOW MANY NEW FIRE FIGHTERS??

A plumber by day, McDonough wakes at 5 am. in order to be at work at 6. He fixes Harrisonians' pipes until 3 p.m., and heads to the mayor's office where he attempts to fix their other problems.

ATTEMPTS BEING THE KEY WORD THERE!!

"I'll leave the office at 6 p.m. to go home for dinner," he says. "But I'll come back if I have to."

ONLY DO THE MINIMUM I HAVE TOO

So far it's working. "The adjustment has been fine," says Marion Borek, who has worked in City Hall since 1947, the last two decades of that as the mayor's secretary. "At least I haven't goofed up on the phone yet."

[Guest TBA]

• A public waterfront walkway and park along the Passaic River

that integrates an Army Corps flood control project.

• A street oriented mixed use boulevard.

• A waterfront corporate center which includes office space, a

hotel and conference center.

• A professional soccer stadium.

• Improvements to the PATH station and potential reopening of

the Harrison New Jersey Transit station.

• Residential opportunities.

[Guest TBA]

Jilted By New York, De Niro And Partners May Go To New Jersey

Robert De Niro and Miramax Films, who have complained that they were double-crossed by the city of New York when they were passed over in a deal to build a new movie studio on the site of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, are now considering a site in Harrison, NJ for their studio, the New York Post reported today, citing an unnamed film-industry source. Moreover, they are vowing to have nothing to do with the Brooklyn studio.

HOW, HOW??

"No one even remotely associated with or at all loyal to Miramax cochairman Harvey Weinstein], Bobby De Niro, Miramax or TriBeCa Films will have anything to do with the Navy Yard facility -- if and when it ever opens, " the source said.

HOW DID THEY PUSH THEM BACK TO THE NAVY YARDS??

The Post said that Weinstein, De Niro and De Niro partner Jane Rosenthal visited the Harrison site last week at the invitation of Mayor Raymond McDonough. Harrison is located 8 miles from Manhattan.

THATS WHERE HE MADE THE MISTAKE, HE MET RAYMOND

[Guest Barney]

When I was young and in my prime Harrison was a beautiful Town to live in. You could walk to everything. There were jobs available at the RCA, Otis, Hyatt, Crucible Steel, Reynolds Alumininum, McKernan Terry and Worthington. Frank Rodgers also could get you a job in the County or at Passaic Valley, or on the Turnpike etc. The Municipal Tax rate was zero because PSE & G paid over 7 million in gross receipt taxes. They could have paved the streets with gold in those days.

There was a tavern on every corner and industry hummed 24 hours a day. It was called the "beehive of industry". Frank kept everyone in line and he was reelected many times. He was a benovolent dictator. If you were on his team, he took care of you, but cross him and you were on the s--- list.

Then came disaster. Industry started to move to the south for cheaper expenses. Mayor Frank, who ran an insurance business out of the Mayor's Office, failed to realize this and the town started going down the drain. Many longtime residents moved to the Jersey Shore. Harrison became a distressed city and had to apply for aid from the state, yet they continued to man a paid fire dept. and continued to promote fireman to higher ranks.

The State was told by the new Mayor that Harrison would only need aid until they redeveloped. That was 5 years ago, and the only thing being built is a hotel. But, the Mayor and his close adevisor Pete continued to spend town funds. The lawyers who were in made out like bandits. We went from a movie studio to a soccer stadium to housing, to stores and back to a movie studio.

Hopefully, all their plans will come to fruition and Harrison will be able to get off the dole. In the meantime, you will be paying high taxes and the "in" people will continue to profit on your backs.

[Guest Guest]

WE DO NOT NEED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THAT IS THE MAIN DRAW ON THE TOWNS INCOME. THAT MONEY COULD BE USED TO START OTHER PROJECTS THAT THE TOWN WOULD GET MATCHING FUNDS FOR. I SAY LET THE LAY-OFFS BEGIN IMMEDIATELY.

[Guest TBA]

Do you remember when the SOPRANOS had the call for a role in their show. 8,000 people showed up to little old Harrison. It was a mess. Parkway, 280, 21, Turnpike, no matter where you looked it was blocked, traffic every where. POLICE CALLED IN FROM ALL OVER. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IF THE METROSTARS HAVE A SOLD OUT GAME OF 25,000 PEOPLE.

[Guest Guest]

Do you remember when the SOPRANOS had the call for a role in their show. 8,000 people showed up to little old Harrison. It was a mess. Parkway, 280, 21, Turnpike, no matter where you looked it was blocked, traffic every where. POLICE CALLED IN FROM ALL OVER. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IF THE METROSTARS HAVE A SOLD OUT GAME OF 25,000 PEOPLE.

holy cow, I never thought about that

[Guest Guest]

Do you remember when the SOPRANOS had the call for a role in their show. 8,000 people showed up to little old Harrison. It was a mess. Parkway, 280, 21, Turnpike, no matter where you looked it was blocked, traffic every where. POLICE CALLED IN FROM ALL OVER. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IF THE METROSTARS HAVE A SOLD OUT GAME OF 25,000 PEOPLE.

I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT AND I LIVE ON HARRISON AVENUE.

[Guest tba]

Financing plan for stadium OK'd

By Ives Galarcep

North Jersey Herald News - Sunday, June 22, 2003

EAST RUTHERFORD - One of the biggest hurdles standing between the MetroStars

and their own soccer stadium in Harrison has been cleared, town officials

said Saturday before the team's 1-0 win over Los Angeles.

Mayor Ray McDonough and Peter Higgins, head of the Harrison Redevelopment

Agency, both acknowledged that progress had been made in the quest to build

the MetroStars a stadium in their Hudson County town.

The approval of a financing plan for the $80 million stadium project is the

latest step to be completed.

"Things have moved along, and it looks more and more like our hard work is

going to pay off," said McDonough, the town's mayor since Harrison began its

interest in building a soccer stadium six years ago.

"It's a project we believe in, and one that we can make happen," said

McDonough. "The MetroStars have made their commitment to the project and so

have we."

It's been 6 years?

"There's still hurdles to get over, but we're a lot closer today than we

were six months ago," said MetroStars president Nick Sakiewicz. "And by the

end of the summer we'll be a lot closer."

The financing agreement will call for Anschutz Entertainment Group, the

MetroStars' parent company, to provide a $30 million investment in the

project, with the remaining $50 million coming from publicly issued bonds

that would be repaid by tax revenue generated from the project. The

financing plan will be brought before the Harrison town council on July 1,

where it is expected to be passed with ease. After the Harrison council

approves the financing of the project, the next step will take Harrison and

the MetroStars to the Board of Hudson County Freeholders, who will then have

to vote on approving the issuance of bonds.

"We still need it approved and we still need the bonds to be sold and

banked, escrowed, and that's really it," said Sakiewicz. "We're close."

McDonough provided a loose time table for the possible completion of the

project, with a potential groundbreaking in the spring of 2004 and an

opening of the 25,000 seat venue in the spring of 2006, just months before the next World Cup in Germany.

The strengthened commitment of the project's developer, the Advance Realty

Group, has helped move the project along considerably in recent months.

"The pieces are falling into place," Advance Realty Group vice president Joe

Romano told the Herald News in April. "Once we fine tune some of the

agreements, it should be between four to five months before we can make a

final announcement."

The soccer stadium is part of a larger 200-acre project dubbed "Harrison

MetroCentre" involving large retail and residential units to be built on the

northern banks of the Passaic River

Great, more condos, more taxes collected, but more friends hired, more teachers, more schools, more police, more fire dept., more traffic, more.......

adjacent to the Ironbound section of

Newark. That project is a portion of a much larger $1 billion redevelopment

project for Harrison, a town of about 15,000 residents.

The stadium project appeared to lose steam last year when attempts to seek

state funding were squelched, but Harrison continued to push for the

stadium, marking it a key selling point for its entire redevelopment

project.

"If anything, we're ahead of schedule because of the stadium," said Higgins.

"Developers would not be ready to build office and retail without this

attraction."

http://nas.americakicks.com/archive/2003/msg13680.html

[Guest tba]

http://www.intertechassociates.com/pr9.html

I n t e r t e c h  A s s o c i a t e s

"Engineering Tomorrow's Technologies"

New Harrison High School could be ready by 2005

June 17, 2003

By Steve Rosenberg, Journal staff writer

HARRISON - By as early as 2005, students could be walking the halls of a new Harrison High School that's being touted as a centerpiece for the community.

The school, planned for a 10-plus-acre site from Hamilton and Schuyler avenues to Kingsland Avenue, will be built using roughly $36 million of the $8.6 billion the state has earmarked for school construction and renovation projects in New Jersey. Of that amount, $6 billion is going to 30 special-needs districts included under the "Abbott" decision, $2.5 billion to the state's other districts and about $100 million for county vocational schools, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association.

For a glimpse of what's in store, nearly 100 residents turned out last week for a presentation and to view schematic drawings of the building and an adjacent state-of-the-art sports complex.

Classes could start at the new HHS by September 2005, meaning this year's freshman class would be the first to graduate there, in June 2006.

"They are going after a very aggressive planning and building schedule, which targets the opening for the start of the 2005 school year," Board of Education Business Administrator Pete Higgins said. "But everything will have to go like clockwork. Any type of delay could push the date to December, but we will absolutely occupy the new building sometime during the 2005-06 school year.

Plans for the three-story school - presented at a special meeting Thursday by region project manager Bovis Lend Lease, Harrison project manager Imperial Construction and architecture and engineering firm EI Association - call for a first floor with a six-lane, 25-meter swimming pool; a main gymnasium and annex; a television production lab; a library/media center; an auditorium; a stage/music room; administrative and guidance offices; and a kitchen, cafeteria and faculty dining room.

The second floor will house 17 general classrooms and two special education rooms as well as art/ceramic rooms, a student government room, a physics room and a graphics room. Another 17 general and two special education classrooms, along with science rooms, are slated for the third floor.

The sports complex, to sit adjacent to the school along Hamilton and Schuyler avenues, will consist of football/soccer, baseball and softball fields of all-weather artificial grass, three tennis courts, a track and bleachers for up to 1,000 spectators.

"It's amazing," athletic director Jack Rodgers said. "I had a chance to work with the architects and had some input as to what the sports-related part of the project would include. They accommodated almost everything.

The plans sound great, but this team the mayor runs with (the council) can't handle this. This unfulfilled promise hurts. The only reason is because not many of them (the council) have had their kids go through this educational system.

"We are going to be so far beyond what we are now," he said. "For years, we leave this building and have to walk between a half- and three-quarters of a mile to get to either JFK Stadium or West Hudson Park. Now we will have two full-sized, all-weather fields. It will be like a suburban setting in an inner-city. A lot of problems will now be eliminated."

Higgins was also surprised to get everything the district sought from the state.

"Several times throughout the design phase we thought they would not be able to fit it all in, but the engineers did a wonderful job fitting it in," he said.

"The New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation put together a superb team for this project," Higgins said, referring to the agency that is overseeing the statewide construction and renovation program. "We have been pushing for the new school for 10 years but had to wait for the state funding to become available."

The state will fund 100 percent of the cost for educational facilities, though some of the sports- and community-related portions - some $7.5 million - will need to be raised locally, according to Higgins.

"Our goal is to avoid using local tax dollars at all costs, but it will take a lot of corporate sponsorship," Higgins said. "The sale of JFK Stadium (scheduled for redevelopment) will help offset some of the nonstate-funded portion."

Charles Carey Smith Jr., the project manager for Bovis, said construction on the sports complex is set to begin this summer,

New Harrison High School could be ready by 2005

June 17, 2003

By Steve Rosenberg, Journal staff writer

but he could give no assurances it would be ready for football season.

For residents who attended the presentation, the most significant concerns related to parking and traffic.

"I thought they did nice job with the presentation, but a lot of people came here to address parking issues in a high-density area," Harrison resident Jack Taft said. "I have a grandchild in the second grade. She is a long way from high school, but she could wind up going to school there."

Harrison High School, on North Fifth Street, was built in 1962 and designed for 650 students; current enrollment is 668. The new building will accommodate up to 850 students.

More public meetings are planned to provide updates on the project's progress.

[Guest TBA]

how about everything he says?

[Guest stuidity]

Ok - so the new school being built will accommodate 850 students - we all know that the redevelopment scheduled to take place will include town homes as well as single family homes - didn't anyone one in the town realize that the school population will grow as well, most likely much higher then the 850 thay have planned out. Didn't anyone stop to think that the new school may not accommodate the amount of student. Please let me be the first to say WAKE UP HARRISON, ONCE AGAIN THEY ARE TAKING US FOR FOOLS.

[Guest mR. mAyOr]

Let me look back. I saved all the political letters..... here's one from our Mayor, dated NOVEMBER 20, 1996.

FROM THE MAYOR'S DESK

Dear Taxpayer:

    There has been considerable discussion over the water/sewer bills which were recently sent to homeowners.

, but I wouldn't know, because I don't own property in Harrison, the taxes are to high

First, let me explain that this is not a new "tax", it is a bill for a sevice.  Passaic Valley Sewage Commission charged Harrison $1,115,000 for sewer services this year.  In the past this charge was built in to your property taax.  It was based on assessed value of your property.  So an owner of an old six-family home assessed at $200,000 with perhaps 20 or more dwellers was paying the same sewer charge as an owner of a newer two-family assessed at the same amount with perhaps 6-8 dwellers.  In order to distribute these charges fairly, each homeowner will pay for water consumption and therefore sewer usage. 

Therefore a cut in the budget of $1,115,000 but taxes went up reguardless, WHY!?///

I have received several calls from tax payers who thought their bills were too high.  Since the bills are based on water consumption, I asked our water Department to check the properties.

Let us remember, what did the mayor do when the calls came in about the higher water bill? He privatized the water bill to a company in the Oranges. He didn't wanna be bothered. Then when it came back to Harrison it was close to doubled in price..... THINK/////

In one building housing 2 apartments and a restaurant, it was found that four toilets were running constantly and a large conditioning unit was leaking.  Had these problems been addressed by the owner, the $1600 water sewer bill would have been reduced drastically.  Compare the water consumed on your recent bill to the last bill you recieved.

No compare your last bill as of 2004 to the bill from 1999, or your tax bill (better yet)

If there is a significant difference, please call the water department at 268-2461, and ask they will be happy to check your home.  The rate listed is per thousand cubic feet:

    North Bergen          $32.98              Hoboken    $36.00

    Union City              $36.00              Weehawken $36.00

    West New York      $28.30              Harrison      $25.00

In light if these recent tax increase, caused by 1 million dollar cut in state aid, a

$450,00 increase in the county budget and a record snowfall,

when do the excuses stop?

these bills seem an additional burden,

your the only burden mayor

however it is the only fair way to meet these cost.  The Council and I have already met on several occasions to discuss possible drastic cuts in the budget.

try laying off some friends not hiring them, how many since 1996?/////

  These may necessitate drastic cuts in services, but there is no other way to accomplich this.

    As always, my door is open.  I you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 268-2444. thank you.

Ray

Lets remember when it all started, but you vote him back in.

anyone, NEW MAYOR, NEW COUNCIL!!!////////////////

[Guest Student]

I guess you did not hear about the "HOT SPOTS"..... the school can not be built on contaminated soil...... Forget about the approx. 3000 new yuppies that are projected to move into new town-homes , "the people moving in will not have children".....isn't that what you said MR. Mayor......the school will be to small......Lincoln School has 8 kindergarten classes and classrooms in lunchrooms........what a mess......again the children will suffer

[Guest Guest]

I'm still waiting to buy a hamburger at the new Burger King in Harrison. It is located at Worthington and Harrison Aves. But that part of redevelopment is so far past no one even remembers it. Worthington Ave is gone already.

[Guest Clean up]

Ok the town couldn't afford to clean up that site so Supor bought the land, paid to have that site cleaned up and in turn he sold that lot to the town who in turn will sell him the lot where the stadium now sits - that way Supor will hold all waterfront property. As the saying goes, one hand washes the other

[Guest Guest]

the levels of contamination were over 100 feet deep at the sight. Just like the rest of the area. Look at what its already done to ** ******** ***** *****. Whats next?

KOTW Note: The above post was edited for content.

[Guest guest_Guest]

New High School lot was never cleaned up. Joe brought in some new topsoil thats all. Covered up the " Hot Spots" or should I call it as board members do "there are some problems with the new location"......."we can't build yet"....

[Guest Guest]

How strange life is. When the children go to the new High School and then have children (most likely by junior year) is Harrison going to pay for the birth defects and ailments of these babies because of the pocketed money that was supposed to be used as a cleanup fund? They will get free day care for a few years to keep the pockets of the Dolaghans, Kinsellas, and Confessories deep but the long term effects of a sick child from contamination could be horrifying. This is no joke. It sickens me, but none of them (politicians, teachers, school board members and administrators) will have their own kids in this school because they live in far more affluent areas. Harrison is good to them for one thing as always, MONEY. The problems created by their greed is passed-on to the taxpayers who have NO voice in this town. I hear Tommy Boy is buying a PVSC hot dog stand for outside of the school. He needs the money. Pass the mustard, OK!

[Guest Nicoles]

How many new schools were promised and never done. We'll hear more as election time comes..... New school....... re-development.......NADA NOTHING

[Guest Guest]

TK has a grandchild with Autism, (probably from living around the corner from clayton all their lives) his grandkids went to Harrison's public schools and still do...... he still lives in town........Freddy's kids go to the public schools...some of the Dologhans kids go to the public schools......there are quite a few teachers , board members and politicians, that live in town who's children go to the public schools........get the facts straight!!!!!!!! All of Harrison is probably built on contaminated soil. Don't you get it we have a ton of children under 13 that are special needs. The answer is to get it cleaned up. Go to the board meetings and make sure they clean up the land first.

[Guest Mr. Harrison 2]

http://www.northjersey.com./page.php?qstr=...UVFeXk2NTQ5Njg5

Harrison gives soccer fans 25,000 reasons to rejoice   

Friday, July 2, 2004

By JOHN BRENNAN

STAFF WRITER

 

MetroStars General Manager Nick Sakiewicz and Harrison Mayor Ray McDonough both used the phrase "bumpy road" on Thursday to describe the 3½ years spent trying to bring the professional soccer team to Hudson County.

But the morning after the Harrison Town Council voted unanimously to approve a $460 million multi-use project anchored by a new 25,000-seat soccer stadium, it was clear that both men were sure their frustrations were over.

That's because there is no apparent opposition to the Harrison plan, unlike plans for sports facility-centered projects in Newark for the Devils, Brooklyn for the Nets, and Manhattan for the Jets.

That's because there is no apparent opposition to the Harrison planhow about me? I oppose, but I'm just a Harrison Resident! I don't count! My taxes are HIGH ENOUGH and our mayor doesn't pay a dime on property taxes, he doesn't own property in this town. He's on a hell of a power trip. Kick backs are great, for him and his landlord (brother-in-law) who is a lawyer on the deal.....

"From Day One, we've gotten nothing but tremendous local support from this historically soccer-loving area," said Peter Higgins, chairman of the Harrison Redevelopment Agency. "All systems are go."

put it to a vote in HARRISONNO BALLS!!

Higgins said he expects to see "shovels in the ground in mid-October to mid-November," after the Hudson County Improvement Authority and Hudson County freeholders approve the specifics of a $130 million bond deal for the stadium and adjacent parking structures. The facility would open in 2006, perhaps in time for the MetroStars' Major League Soccer season opener.

CAN SOME ONE LOOK UP OUR FREEHOLDERS TO STOP THIS!!!

http://www.hudsoncountynj.org/gov/

Barry Dugan

District 1: Bayonne

Freeholder Board Vice Chairman

William O’Dea

District 2: Jersey City

William C Braker

District 3: Jersey City

Maurice Fitzgibbons

District 5: Hoboken, Jersey City

Brian Stack

District 6: Union City, Jersey City

Silverio A Vega

District 7: West New York, Guttenberg, Weehawken

Freeholder Chair

Thomas Liggio

District 8: North Bergen, Jersey City

Albert Cifelli

District 9: East Newark, Harrison, Kearny, Secaucus

The bonds are supposed to be repaid via new tax revenue created by the development and by a new 4,000-car parking garage. The MetroStars would contribute $30 million, with the office, retail, and housing segments on the 200-acre tract privately financed by Advance Realty Group.

GIVE ME A BREAK, DOES THIS MAKE SCENCE TO YOU???/////

Sakiewicz said he expected the change in fortunes of his soccer team to be dramatic - a $6 million to $7 million annual boost that would move the team from annual losses into annual profits.

THEN HAVE THEM PAY FOR THE STADIUM, DOES ANYONE IN HARRISON HAVE BUSINESS SCENCE???

"We have always been unprofitable at Giants Stadium because of the limited revenues," Sakiewicz said. "No one is going to get fat, dumb, and happy with this stadium on our end, but it allows us the ability to make a reasonable profit."

Sakiewicz has had long-standing complaints about the team's lease with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, as well as aesthetic concerns about playing in a 75,000-seat stadium.

The Harrison project's effect could go far beyond men's professional soccer. Sakiewicz said he hoped to see New Jersey high school and college soccer championships held at the stadium, and possibly state high school football championships as well. The stadium would have a natural grass field, about 25 luxury suites, and an upscale lounge for high-end ticket buyers. The design is to be finalized by Labor Day.

yEAH RIGHT, WELCOME TO hARRISON

Higgins said he expects the project, which will encompass one-third of the city's land, to make Harrison "more than just another stop on the PATH line."

The development would be along the eastern bank of the Passaic River, on a brownfield that a century ago was the site of steel and pipe foundries. Cleanup of the industrial debris on the site is expected to cost $10 million.

The MetroStars are owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group, named for billionaire Philip Anschutz, the company's chief executive. AEG owns the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League and numerous other sports teams worldwide. It also operates the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and produces many national concert tours. That will help the new Harrison stadium - a naming-rights deal is expected - attract summer music offerings.

yEAH, LIKE THE NEWARK BEARS STADIUM....

Joe Romano, an Advance Realty executive, said he expected to build "virtually a whole town" surrounding the stadium, with a wide boulevard, restaurants, and shopping destinations finished in time for the stadium's first event. He said he predicted the 420 rental units and 200 lofts would attract the same "young executive types" as Jersey City waterfront properties.

E-mail: brennan@northjersey.com

[Guest Guest]

Bill Braker is no longer in District three. He is now on tier 3 of the Hudon County Jail. Don't think he can help you.

[Guest Guest]

WOW! A few children of Harrisons Royal families (due to nepotism and kissing-ass) go to school in Harrison. Man, aren't we lucky to be graced by their attendance. Kings among the commen folk. The only reason for this is that both Daddy and Mommy are employed by the town in most cases and it is easier to drop them off in the morning and pick them up on the way out of town. Easier to keep an eye on them. It is a matter of convenience by the Royal families rather than the concerns of their children and the quality of their education. Stop trying to mask the obvious. Everyone isn't as stupid as you think.