The reason? YankeeNets, which owns the two pro franchises, wants a lot more in state aid to fund the arena than the state is currently prepared to offer. The arena is expected to cost $325 million; YankeeNets originally asked for $125 million in public money, but recently bumped that up to close to $200 million. The Whitman administration has been holding steady with an offer of $75 million. "We're negotiating, but the numbers have changed on their side," according to Jim DiEleuterio, who heads the NJ Sports and Exposition Authority.
So if YankeeNets officials were looking for a sign via the governor's address, they're apparently not going to get it. That likely means the problem will fall into the lap of Whitman's successor, Senate president Donald DiFrancesco (R-Union).
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