Reporter Michael Saul seems a bit peevish about it, but if the facts are as stated below, then the Jets offer of $250 million to the MTA for the air rights over the Hudson River train yards is indeed worth more then the Cablevision offer of $400 million.

While Cablevision may have a political hardball pitcher in Al D'Amato calling the shots for them in the publicity war, the Jets have David Boise leading the way in court, and I'd put my money on Boise every time.

Lower bid really higher, say Jets

By MICHAEL SAUL
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

In a move that will drive opponents of the West Side stadium batty, the Jets will argue that the team's $250 million bid for the railyards is worth more than Madison Square Garden's $400 million proposal, the Daily News has learned.

In court papers obtained by The News, the Jets insist the MTA correctly exercised its right to consider factors other than price in awarding the property to the NFL team.

The Jets argue in the 59-page legal document, filed late Friday, that their proposal offers better civic and economic interests to the city and the state.

But even when considering just the price, the Jets say the team's bid is worth more to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority than the Garden's offer.

The Jets note that the proposed stadium will only take up a third of the maximum development rights at the site, while the Garden's proposal would have required the MTA to relinquish all air rights.

The Jets' $250 million offer for a third of the property, - 2.2 million square feet - is equal to $114 per square foot.

By comparison, the Garden's $400 million offer for the entire property - 6.8 million square feet - comes to $58 per square foot.

"Thus, after taking into account the rights being retained by the MTA, it is plain that the Jets will be paying the MTA much more on a per-square-foot basis," the Jets say.

Randy Mastro, the Garden's lawyer, responded, "It is more than clear that the MTA violated it statutory and fiduciary duties by accepting the Jets' proposal, which the MTA admitted offers less than MSG's, requires more than $1 billion in taxpayer subsidies and will generate less revenue and fewer jobs."

He added that the Garden was "absolutely committed to winning this lawsuit and moving forward with our community focus development plan."

The MTA awarded the property to the Jets on March 31. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Herman Cahn has scheduled a hearing for May 3.