Jets Offer to Buy Giants Stadium Bogus!

[TheRealLimo]

Jets deny making serious offer to buy Giants Stadium

March 16, 2005, 12:22 PM EST, AP

TRENTON, N.J. -- The New York Jets said Wednesday that any offer made by the team's president to buy Giants Stadium was a joke that was misinterpreted by New Jersey's acting governor, who was not in on the conversation.

Jets officials on Wednesday said the NFL franchise is moving forward with plans for a stadium on New York City's West Side.

The same day, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported that acting Gov. Richard J. Codey said Jets President Jay Cross had made a verbal offer of at least $120 million for the Meadowlands stadium, where both the New York Giants and Jets now play home games.

Codey said the offer was made to New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority chief George Zoffinger on Friday, two days after negotiations between the Giants and the state for a new stadium collapsed.

During a news conference Wednesday on a lawsuit filed by the Jets against the owner of Madison Square Garden, team officials said Cross was kidding around with a longtime associate.

"Jay made a tongue-in-cheek remark. He wasn't making an offer to buy Giants Stadium. It was an off-handed, tongue-in-cheek remark," said Andrew Lee, counsel to the Jets.

Marc Kasowitz, attorney for the Jets in their New York stadium case, interjected, "It was a joke!"

Codey's office on Wednesday declined to comment on details of the supposed offer.

"All along, the governor has said he hopes the Jets would stay in New Jersey. There are a lot of different proposals out there. He's hopeful both teams can reach a cooperative agreement," Codey spokeswoman Kelley Heck said.

A call to Zoffinger by The Associated Press seeking comment was not immediately returned.

The Jets' lawsuit filed Wednesday claims Cablevision Systems Corp. _ the Garden's owner and an opponent of a proposed stadium for the Jets in Manhattan _ took steps to exclude any competition, resulting in fewer choices and higher ticket prices for New York fans.

The Jets have played at the Meadowlands stadium for 24 years; their lease expires in 2009. The Giants' lease runs out in 2026.

A week ago, talks between the Giants and New Jersey to build a new stadium broke down after Codey refused to block the state from taxing luxury boxes and ticket sales.