Quote:By LAURA MANSNERUS
Published: April 23, 2005


EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., April 22 - The new Giants Stadium proposed for the Meadowlands was approved on Friday by the board of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority after two hours of debate behind closed doors.

The 11-to-0 vote was a triumph for Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey, who, from the day he took office in November, has campaigned to keep the Giants. The football team was the first professional sports franchise to occupy the Meadowlands, and the other four that now play at the sports complex there have plans to leave.

Four members of the 15-member board, including the authority's president, George R. Zoffinger, abstained.

The state's agreement with the Giants, signed last week, ended months of contentious talks. The Giants wanted to replace their 29-year-old stadium, which is owned by the sports authority, and had sought to gain leverage by suing to enforce a provision in the team's lease that obligated the state to make improvements to the facility - at a cost that the Giants placed at $300 million.

Under the agreement, the Giants will build a $750 million stadium near the existing one, which will be demolished. The team will own and operate the new stadium and give the state $5 million a year in rent for the land and $1.3 million a year toward payments in lieu of taxes to East Rutherford.

The state will take on long-term debt of $124 million on the existing building and make utility improvements of about $30 million. The authority is also giving the team more than 40 acres for expanded practice facilities and retail development.

I know this should have no bearing on the proposed Jets stadium in Manhattan, but this article makes it sound like the Giants will be the sole owner/operator of the new stadium in Meadowlands. Which, in turn, makes me think that the west side stadium will eventually be approved despite all the obstacles at present.

<a href='http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/story/3560842' target='_blank'>Jets' stadium approval likely to wait</a>

Many here have discussed the possibility of a Big Apple Bowl. What I'm curious about is must a bowl be played either in a dome or a warm weather city? In other words, does this new Giants stadium have the potential to host a bowl for the Big East even if/when the westside stadium proposal falls through?

From what I hear up here in Jersey the new Giants stadium will be a retractable roof same as the new Jets stadium. What's ironic is that the Giants aren't expanding the seating capacity just adding like a hundred skyboxes or something and keeping the current stadium's seating capacity. Considering how long the wait is for season tickets for either the Jets or the Giants, it would make alot of sense to also increase the seating capacity even its just by 5,000 seats, because that means approximately 2500 people could come off the waiting list. However, this stadium has the potential of luring the Big Apple Bowl at least temporarily as this will likely be built first and it also has the potential of luring a Super Bowl to New York/North Jersey.

This is good news for the Big East and the Big Apple Bowl if the new Giants stadium will have a retractable roof.

What is the rumored payout for the proposed Big Apple Bowl and by whom?

Maybe they'll actually change the name to the New Jersey Giants finally if the Jets leave. Considering most Giant fans live in the NJ area it would make sense.

HEY WHERE'S THE UCONN ICON?? I LEAVE THE BOARD FOR A FEW MONTHS AND EVERYTHING GOES AWAY?!? WHAT THE???

brista21 Wrote:From what I hear up here in Jersey the new Giants stadium will be a retractable roof same as the new Jets stadium. What's ironic is that the Giants aren't expanding the seating capacity just adding like a hundred skyboxes or something and keeping the current stadium's seating capacity. Considering how long the wait is for season tickets for either the Jets or the Giants, it would make alot of sense to also increase the seating capacity even its just by 5,000 seats, because that means approximately 2500 people could come off the waiting list. However, this stadium has the potential of luring the Big Apple Bowl at least temporarily as this will likely be built first and it also has the potential of luring a Super Bowl to New York/North Jersey.

That would definitely be an added bonus if the new Meadowlands Stadium is to have a retractable roof! I didn't get that impression just from reading the limited pieces I found. Thanks brista21 for the info.

Wilkie01 Wrote:What is the rumored payout for the proposed Big Apple Bowl and by whom?

There is no official Big Apple Bowl as of right now. The hope is that a domes stadium in NY will allow the BE to champion their conference and college football in general in the heart of media central. The name stems from a former bowl retired years ago.

The BE, knowing the importance of this, offered the idea to the Jets as part of the campaign to get their stadium done. Now that the Giants have moved so quickly in securing a new facility, I don't know if the league would have a preference, just the desire for a another, closer bowl game.

Payouts would then depend on sponsors and participants. It would be tough to crack into the BCS fold; The Cotton Bowl is expected to remain second tier even if they land in the Cowboys new stadium. And it's unsure which seed the BE would like to have there. #2 or 3 seed seems most likely, pending other arrangements. The good news is I'd expect the B10 to be interested. Of other leagues the B10 and the ACC (obviously) have the most interest in the NE market, so if the money is right I suspect the B10 will do a dance sometime soon with multiple bowls, giving up the likes of the Music City bowl for the Big Apple and so forth.

I just pray there won't be some lousy deal with ND...

GunnerFan Wrote:

Wilkie01 Wrote:What is the rumored payout for the proposed Big Apple Bowl and by whom?

There is no official Big Apple Bowl as of right now. The hope is that a domes stadium in NY will allow the BE to champion their conference and college football in general in the heart of media central. The name stems from a former bowl retired years ago.

The BE, knowing the importance of this, offered the idea to the Jets as part of the campaign to get their stadium done. Now that the Giants have moved so quickly in securing a new facility, I don't know if the league would have a preference, just the desire for a another, closer bowl game.

Payouts would then depend on sponsors and participants. It would be tough to crack into the BCS fold; The Cotton Bowl is expected to remain second tier even if they land in the Cowboys new stadium. And it's unsure which seed the BE would like to have there. #2 or 3 seed seems most likely, pending other arrangements. The good news is I'd expect the B10 to be interested. Of other leagues the B10 and the ACC (obviously) have the most interest in the NE market, so if the money is right I suspect the B10 will do a dance sometime soon with multiple bowls, giving up the likes of the Music City bowl for the Big Apple and so forth.

I just pray there won't be some lousy deal with ND...

<a href='http://www.bigeast.org/sports/football/releases/06-14-04.asp' target='_blank'>Big East announces creation of the Big Apple Bowl</a>
<a href='http://www.footballfoundation.com/news.php?id=399' target='_blank'>National Football Foundation's Press Release</a>

It isn't exactly a rumor Gunner, its just not definite that the thing will see light of day. It sounds to me though that the bowl is the Big East's straight up. As for our opponent in the Bowl I'd much rather see the Big Ten than the ACC in it. We don't have any bowls against them, and I think it'd be advantageous for us to have one.