USTA Harms Park and Local Communities : Hundreds of Millions in Taxpayer Handouts to USTA Questioned

Queens, NY March 8, 2013 – The Fairness Coalition of Queens, elected officials, and community  leaders announced the release of an in-depth report, “Double Fault”, which documents the negative impacts the US Tennis Association (USTA)  has on Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and the surrounding communities. The report cites hundreds of millions in taxpayer handouts to USTA which  has moved most of their high paying jobs to Westchester County. The USTA is currently seeking to gain more free parkland in Flushing  Meadows-Corona Park without replacement as part of their proposed  expansion. USTA aims to build a third tennis stadium, enlarge two  existing stadiums, construct two new parking garages, pave a new road,  add up to 170,000-gsf of new retail space, and the build a dirty  diesel-fueled power plant.
Key findings of the report, “Double Fault” {LINK TO REPORT} , include:
* NYC taxpayers have provided $322,025,000 in City Bonds for USTA construction.
* Over 85% of the USTA’s $200,000,000 in annual revenue comes from events held on parkland in Queens.
* The USTA pays no property taxes, minimal rent, and a tiny portion of its revenue to the city.
* Despite massive NYC taxpayer subsidies, the majority of the  organization’s full-time, high salary jobs are based in Westchester.
* Flushing Meadows Corona Park and the surrounding communities bear the  brunt of the negative impacts–including increased pollution and loss of greenspace– from the USTA.
The report details multiple  negative local impacts from the USTA. The USTA currently harms large  sections of the park by encouraging more than 3,600 cars to drive and  park on grass during the US Open. The USTA’s new proposal will result in damaging 400 mature trees including state-listed endangered species  willow oak trees.
Elected Official and Community Leader Quotes
“USTA has not been a good neighbor. Their events have put a tremendous burden on the park and the community. For our community in Queens, the USTA is nothing more than a gated community walled off from the local  residents. Our families need parkland.. We are deeply concerned that an  expansion of the USTA will just lead to even more problems for the  community,” said Javier Valdes, co-Executive Director of Make the Road  NY.
“I stand with the community today to let the USTA know that  they have to change their ways. It’s time for the USTA to do their fair  share.  That means USTA replaces every inch of parkland they take for  expansion. It also means USTA helps maintain the park they’ve been  allowed to use all these years. Finally, it means they become a partner  with the community by increasing public access and programs,” said City Council Member Julissa Ferreras (Corona, East Elmhurst), who represents the district that includes Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
“It is outrageous that the USTA is taking New York City parkland and tax  breaks and moving all their top jobs to Westchester County. Why doesn’t  the Bloomberg Administration guarantee that the jobs our tax dollars are subsidizing are based in NYC? I see no reason for us to be investing  city tax dollars for jobs in Westchester County.” said City Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) and a member of the City Council Parks Committee.
“What has Queens received so far? The USTA – which is not headquartered in  Queens – wants to take more parkland, kill 400 fully-grown trees, and  even refuses to permanently endow the park,” said City Council Member Peter Vallone (D-Astoria). “Replacing the parkland and trees and ensuring this  parkland is protected and maintained is the very least Queens can expect before project approval is considered.”
“Being a valued New York institution is about more than making money,” State Senator Jose Peralta said.  “It also involves being a good neighbor and a good employer—areas where the U.S. Tennis Association has a lot of work to do.  Until the USTA  takes affirmative steps to make local residents feel more welcome and to change its anti-union hiring policies, I think we must question just  how much value the U.S. Open truly brings to our community.”
State Senator Tony Avella stated, “I am proud to join the Fairness Coalition of Queens in strong  opposition to the proposed USTA expansion. This project will alienate  parkland without replacing it, robbing the community of public green  space.  Despite allegations by USTA that their facilities are open to  the public, the gated tennis court cannot be utilized without paying $66 an hour on weekends. Their facility is neither affordable nor  accessible to the regular park users of Flushing Meadows Corona Park,  especially considering that tennis courts at other parks throughout the  City charge no more than $15.  Parkland is sacred and must be preserved  for generations to come, not given away to private developers.”
“Public green space is a vital part of our community.  As the USTA seeks to  expand their footprint in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, they should be  held to the same standard as everyone else, and replace any parkland  that is alienated,” said Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-Corona). “Even if this parcel of parkland being alienated is small, the  requirements are the same. The resulting changes should only increase  the access to parkland for residents of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and  Corona.”
City Council Member Leroy Comrie said “I am proud of the community for coming together to advocate for this park. The  community needs to work together to ensure that anything that happens in this park results in a positive impact for the people. It is our job in the City Council to make sure all sides are heard, and we will work to  make sure USTA is responsive to the issues that the community has  expressed. I encourage the community to continue to raise the awareness  of their concerns.”
“The US Open has always been an economic boon to our city, bringing in more revenue during its two week tournament  than all other sporting events combined.  However, as the USTA seeks to  expand their footprint and their profits, we must be sure to protect the interests of taxpayers and Queens residents, and protect the long-term  needs of Flushing Meadows Corona Park,” said former City Council Member Melinda Katz. “This project must include replacement of parkland, a revenue stream  dedicated to park maintenance and enhancements, and a project-labor  agreement that provides for prevailing wages and card-check neutrality  for it to meet the needs of the park and of the community which relies  on it.”
“The growth of private development in the park will  surely take away from the quiet atmosphere of the park. It will be  absolutely devastating for family and community unity,” said Father John Mendonca, pastor of Our Lady of the Angelus in Rego Park, which is part of Queens Congregations United for Action.
“Flushing Meadows is our park, and it should be accessible to the public. But  during the US Open, it is not at all accessible for residents of the  community. One day during the US Open I was running through the park and I was stopped by police and USTA Security. They yelled at me and told  me I couldn’t go past. They change the logistics from one day to the  next,” said Joel Martinez, a member of Make the Road New York and resident of East Elmhurst, Queens. “I felt like it was a question of  classism – that they just don’t want to have poor people there during  their event.”
Key Findings of “Double Fault” Report
* The USTA expansion, as proposed, would break a long-held legal  precedent by not replacing parkland it is alienating. Corona has the  highest childhood obesity rate in New York City. Loss of parkland here,  which is critical to exercise, endangers the health of the local  community.
* The expansion plan calls for a 20 foot high, 8  Megawatt, dirty diesel-fuel power plant to be built inside the park. A  power plant that would emit a massive amount of air pollution into the  park and surrounding communities.
* Over time, NYC taxpayers have provided $322,025,000 in City Bonds for USTA construction. 85% of the  USTA’s $200,000,000 in annual revenue comes from events held on parkland in Queens. The USTA pays no property taxes, minimal rent, and a tiny  portion of its revenue to the city. Despite massive NYC taxpayer  subsidies, the majority of the organization’s full-time, high salary  jobs are based in Westchester.
* The USTA currently harms large  sections of the park by encouraging more than 3,600 cars to drive and  park on grass during the US Open. The USTA’s new proposal will result in damaging 400 mature trees including state-listed endangered species  willow oak trees.
* FMCP is a federally-protected Class B  wetlands. Its natural purpose is to absorb flooding from storms. If more parkland is lost here, it will result in more flooding in the  surrounding residential communities.
* The USTA site is not ‘open to the public’. It has 8 foot high steel gates around the  perimeter that are padlocked to keep the community out of the facility.  The hourly court rental rates are the most expensive of any public  courts in NYC. USTA events have prevented community soccer leagues from  playing. The expansion would result in the removal of a bike lane that  is a critical link for cyclists to enter the park.
* USTA  generates only 127 direct and indirect jobs that are full-time for  Queens residents. USTA seeks to build significantly more retail space on site which will negatively impact local small businesses by preventing  spectators from going into the community.
* USTA expansion plan  will introduce significantly more traffic congestion, overwhelm local  parking, and strain subways with more overcrowding.
* In 2008,  the USTA CEO received $9 million in compensation, while 8 other  executives made between $700,000 and $1 million. The average pay for  Olympic national governing body executives is $228,456. The median  income for tennis fans is $150,000, while for Queens residents the  median household income is $56,406.
* The USTA is subject to a  class action lawsuit in Federal Court for labor violations and failure  to pay overtime to workers. An audit by the NYC Comptroller revealed  that USTA understated its revenue to the City by $31,185,978, and thus  owes the City $311,860.
About the Fairness Coalition of Queens: The Fairness Coalition of Queens was formed to ensure that the people who  use Flushing Meadows Corona Park and the surrounding neighborhoods are  protected and any redesign is handled in a responsible manner with  community input. Major concerns voiced by the Coalition include the loss of public parkland, impact on small businesses, increased traffic and  air pollution, the need for good quality jobs, broken promises on  affordable housing and lack of community involvement. The coalition  includes Adhikaar, ALIGN, Asian Americans For Equality, Bay Terrace  Community Alliance, Chhaya CDC, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM),  Jackson Heights Beautification Group, Jackson Heights Green Alliance,  Make the Road New York, Mid-Queens Community Council, New Immigrant  Community Empowerment, Occupy Queens, Queens Civic Congress, Queens  Community House, Queens Congregations United for Action, and Queens  Pride House. www.ProtectThePark.org
About Flushing Meadows-Corona Park: It is Queen’s flagship park and the only major green space in the working  class borough of over 2 million people. Queens residents and families  use it for recreation, family gathering, soccer, baseball, cricket,  picnics, boating, running, and other exercise. The park is heavily  utilized with more than 20,000 people playing soccer every week in the  organized soccer leagues—with countless others enjoying the park seven  days a week. It is also currently home to several major private sports  facilities including the stadiums of the USTA’s Billie Jean King  National Tennis Center (NTC) and Citifield home of the New York Mets.  The communities surrounding the park are diverse and lower income, with  75% of the surrounding residents being people of color and 40% living  below the poverty line. Corona, a heavily immigrant neighborhood  adjacent to the park, has the worst childhood obesity rate in the entire city at 51%.Press Release.