The sponsors of BrooklynSpeaks have presented principles on this website relating to the design and scale of the project, its transportation impact, its affordable housing and the public process by which it will be decided. To review the principles that we believe the developer and state must address before the project can be approved, click here. Several people have asked us to clarify how our principles relate to the proposed Arena and the potential use of eminent domain in the project. We're happy to do so.

The Arena

BrooklynSpeaks believes that, before the project can move forward, measures must be in place to mitigate the enormous potential impacts associated with the Arena. These impacts could include: the overwhelming of our transit system; thousands of new vehicular trips in an already congested area; and the creation of a secondary parking industry that would blight the surrounding neighborhoods. To read more on our principle that the project must include a transportation plan that works, click here.

Eminent Domain

BrooklynSpeaks believes that the public process for making land-use determinations, including decisions concerning the use of eminent domain, should be as fair, transparent and open as possible, and involve the public in a meaningful way. This is especially critical when the use of eminent domain is contemplated, because the power of the state is subject to abuse if the public process fails to sufficiently involve all affected parties. The BrooklynSpeaks sponsors believe that the public process for Atlantic Yards so far has been flawed. To read more, click here. To read more about the positions of the individual sponsoring groups on Atlantic Yards, visit their websites by clicking here. You can also tell us what you think of our principles by clicking here.