GIANTS INK NEW DEAL IN JERSEY
By TOM TOPOUSIS and FRANKIE EDOZIEN

 

April 15, 2005 -- After threatening briefly to return to the Big Apple, the New York Giants yesterday signed a deal to build a $750 million stadium in New Jersey's Meadowlands — and left the door open for the Jets to join them.

The team will pay for the entire cost of the 80,000-seat stadium, and will sell the naming rights for about $12 million. That means it will not be called Giants Stadium.

Acting Gov. Richard Codey and the team's owners reached the deal after talks collapsed several weeks ago, prompting the Giants to threaten to move across the Hudson to share a new $2 billion West Side stadium with the Jets.

The Giants' new stadium, including 200 luxury suites and about 10,000 club seats, will be ready in time for the 2008 season and will be shared for at least one season with the Jets, who plan to move to New York the next year.

Giants exec John Mara said the Jets would be welcome to stay in the Meadowlands beyond that as partners or tenants.