As if the Mets didn’t have enough problems, an audit found the team owes the city more than $2 million.
Under the team’s old Shea Stadium lease, the city got a cut of ticket sales, parking and concessions in addition to rent. But between 2003 and 2007, the team underreported profits, costing New Yorkers $180,000, city Comptroller Bill Thompson said.
While the Mets ponied up those funds, they also improperly deducted more than $2.4 million in insurance premiums related to their new Citi Field from their payments to the city, the audit found.
What’s worse, Thompson said, is the city is letting the team get away with it.
“The Mets have done an Amazin’ job at skirting their commitment to the city,” Thompson said. “While we are faced with widening budget gaps and cuts to essential services, the city should be trying to collect every penny we are owed.”
After consulting with city attorneys, the Parks Department, which administered the Shea lease, said the insurance premiums could be deducted, as the Mets have argued.
“Consequently, Parks will not seek payment from the Mets,” the department said in its response to the findings.