Newark Star-Ledger

Giants' plans still don't include Jets
State calls for teams to huddle on stadium
BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN
Star-Ledger Staff

Thursday, August 18, 2005

The Giants' latest plan for a new stadium complex in the Meadowlands contrasts starkly with the Jets' proposal for the site.

Just a week ago, state officials were heralding the Jets' plans for a joint stadium and retail complex at the Meadowlands as a major step toward building the NFL's premier destination. But the two sides remain far apart on their proposals both for a stadium and how to develop commercial property around it.

In fact, according to drawings the Giants submitted this week to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, the team doesn't yet acknowledge the project may become a joint venture, nor does the Giants' latest plan incorporate any of the Jets' design suggestions. The new drawings label the proposed stadium "Giants Stadium" and the surrounding plaza "Giants Plaza."

"Clearly, the plan the Giants gave is dramatically different than the one given to the authority by Jets," said Carl Goldberg, chairman of the sports authority, the state agency that operates the Meadowlands Sports Complex. "They have different visions."

Goldberg said yesterday the sports authority would return the Giants' plans because they lacked details about parking, traffic management and engineering, which the authority needs to continue its evaluation.

But by sending back the plans, state officials said, the sports authority also was telling the Giants to work more closely with the Jets before making another submission.

"When you start a partnership, there will be disagreements," acting Gov. Richard Codey said. "But these two teams need to work harder, meet more often and spend more time in those meetings to get this done."

According to both teams' plans, the new stadium would go in between the current stadium and the Meadowlands Racetrack, but they disagree on key elements:

  Location of the Giants' practice facility: The Jets proposed moving the Giants training center and practice fields behind the Meadowlands Racetrack so as not to take up valuable land adjacent to the stadium with a use that would not generate revenue. The Giants prefer to keep the practice fields next to the stadium so there is a seamless flow between training facility and playing field.

  Design of the commercial development around the stadium: The Jets want to concentrate the development in two structures -- a hotel and conference center and another building that would house everything from the interactive NFL Experience to football-themed restaurants and shops and the teams' halls of fame. The Giants want to spread the retail facilities around the stadium in a series of buildings of various sizes.

  Connections to the adjacent Xanadu retail and entertainment complex: The Jets would integrate the stadium's commercial and retail space with Xanadu, connecting the two projects using a complex built above the planned rail station at the Meadowlands. The Giants propose a simple 400-foot walkway across Route 120.

  The size of the stadium: The Jets propose a 90,000-seat stadium, while the Giants remain committed to an 80,000-seat structure.

Giants Chief Executive John Mara declined to comment specifically on his team's plans.

"I'm not going to confirm what we have and have not submitted," he said, "other than to say we've been working closely with the sports authority for some time, submitting various plans to them on a regular basis, and we will continue to do so."

Jets Chief Executive Jay Cross is on vacation this week and has not seen the Giants' latest proposal. Matt Higgins, a Jets spokesman, declined to comment on the Giants' plans.

The two teams have shared Giants Stadium since 1984. Until last week, the Jets were officially committed to moving to New York. But plans to move to the West Side of Manhattan collapsed in June and the team has said it would prefer to stay in New Jersey in a shared stadium, rather than build its own home at an alternative New York site in Queens.

The Giants remain a step ahead of the Jets because the team has already signed a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the state to build an $800 million stadium in the Meadowlands.

However, that agreement carries certain obligations that are becoming increasingly burdensome to the team.

For example, unless the Giants receive the Jets' approval for a new stadium and reach an agreement with the developers of Xanadu on a traffic plan by Sept. 15, the state has the right to tear up the MOU.

Also, since the Giants have signed an MOU and have begun a formal approval process, the sports authority expects the team's plans to be more detailed than the conceptual proposal the Jets submitted last week.

"I was looking for a much higher level and complete submission from the Giants," Goldberg said. "The Jets wanted to demonstrate their commitment to the state in a conceptual plan. The Giants were moving forward in a process that would lead to a master plan approval, and a lot higher level of detail was anticipated."