The Yankees came out swinging yesterday against critics of the team’s plea for extra tax-free financing for its new $1.3 billion stadium.
Club President Randy Levine slammed Assemblyman Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester), who issued Levine a subpoena to present documents at an Assembly committee hearing today in lower Manhattan.
“Why do we need to build the Yankees a steakhouse that they will own and profit from as part of this taxpayer finance? Why do we need to build the Yankees administrative offices?” Brodsky asked.
“Assemblyman Brodsky is trying to live off the New York Yankees,” charged Levine. “His behavior is worthy of the grandstanding Hall of Fame.”
He called Brodsky a “hypocrite” for voting for a $105 million cash bailout for the New York Racing Association, tax incentives for Monticello Raceway, and video lottery terminals for Yonkers Raceway several months ago.
Records show that from 2003 to 2007, Brodsky collected $71,200 in campaign contributions from horse-racing interests, including Kylie Travis, wife of developer Louis Cappelli, the largest shareholder in Empire Resorts, which operates Monticello Raceway.
“Some deals are good deals and some deals are bad deals,” Brodsky said of his votes, adding Cappelli is a longtime friend whose involvement with Monticello Raceway began two years after the contributions.
Levine also slammed City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who voted for the stadium deal in 2006 but yesterday blasted major cost overruns.
“New Yorkers now have a box-seat view of fiscal mismanagement,” said Thompson.