MTA COULD LOOK TO PASS ON THE JETS
By TOM TOPOUSIS

June 10, 2005 -- MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow said yesterday that the agency will likely look for new developers of the West Side rail yard if the Jets can't live up to their deal to build a stadium — even if the team is willing to pay $250 million for the site.

Kalikow said the MTA board's approval of the sale to the Jets of development rights over the rail yard is contingent on the team being able to get the stadium project under way this year.

"If they want to continue the deal based on that, I guess we will do that. If not, we will think about probably rebidding it," Kalikow said.

MTA officials could not say exactly how long the Jets have to come up with a new plan to push forward with a stadium. Kalikow said he expects an appeal of an earlier court decision approving the sale to be wrapped up in two weeks.

"If we had this hearing in August, all these questions would be wrapped up," he said.

The Jets' dream of a West Side stadium was dealt a devastating blow this week when Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno refused to back the project during a vote of the Public Authorities Control Board.

Silver has insisted he will not consider the stadium. But the Jets have yet to give up, and are considering whether to go to the City Council for zoning changes and possibly replacing $300 million in state money with private investors.

By calling for new bids in the event that the Jets can't complete their stadium deal, Kalikow is effectively ruling out Cablevision's $400 million offer to build housing, shops and offices on the 13-acre site.

A spokesman for Cablevision said the company's owners is "reviewing all their options."

With the stadium deal apparently dead, the International Olympic Committee yesterday authorized New York bid officials to come up with an alternative plan before the July 6th vote that will decide the site of the 2012 Summer Games.

With time running out, Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff said, "We're exploring every option."