"Bronx group goes to court vs. new Yankee Stadium" NY Daily News 8/4/6

Bronx group goes to court vs. new Yankee Stadium

A South Bronx community group went to court yesterday in an effort to stop a new Yankee Stadium from being built.
In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Save Our Parks is petitioning to keep trees from being removed in Macombs Dam and John Mullaly parks.

But Justice Rosalyn Richter rejected the group's attempt to have a temporary restraining order issued to halt the massive stadium project.

Large sections of the two parks and hundreds of trees are set to be swallowed up once construction starts on the $800 million ballpark next to the the House that Ruth Built. The lawsuit seeks to block the plan.

"We are confident that the outcome of any court action will continue to be favorable," said Howard Rubenstein, a spokesman for the team.

The 53,000-seat stadium is set to open in time for the 2009 baseball season, with groundbreaking set for the end of this summer.

The lawsuit charges that the city and the Yankees are unlawfully grabbing sections of the two parks.

In April, the City Council approved a plan that turns over 22 acres of parkland for the new stadium. In exchange, the Yankees have agreed to provide $50 million in community benefits to the Bronx, including small parks to be built atop stadium parking garages.

Jose Martinez