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Opponents File Another Lawsuit Against Atlantic Yards Project

by Matthew Schuerman

NEW YORK, NY October 19, 2009 —Atlantic Yards opponents filed another lawsuit in state court today to block the project.

Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn and 19 other Brooklyn groups say the latest agreement between the state and developer Forest City Ratner will keep at least some of the footprint in a blighted state for 20 years or more, as it allows Ratner to purchase the land parcel-by-parcel over that time.

The state's highest court is considering whether to accept a challenge by many of the same plaintiffs to the original deal.

Attorney Jeff Baker filed both lawsuits. "This deal's even worse because there's far less assurance that the negligible benefits that were supposed to come from this project will ever happen at all," Bakers says.

A spokesperson for the state's economic development agency says officials expect construction will take only 10 years.


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