The issues range from how much the Giants will pay in taxes, to whether or not the Meadowlands Xanadu retail, entertainment and office complex, proposed for the adjacent Continental Airlines Arena site, will be open on Sundays when the Giants play at home. The ongoing negotiations had, in recent weeks, become tense, and as of now, "all other options are going to be on the table," Joseph Shanker, the Giants' attorney, said at a press conference at the Giants' offices yesterday.

At a simultaneous press conference in the sports complex's parking lot, Acting Gov. Richard Codey simply replied, "no," when asked if he thought the team would move elsewhere when its lease expires in 2008. "There has been a long relationship between the Giants and the State of New Jersey and we expect that to continue." He and other state officials suggested the stand-off might be a negotiating ploy.

The biggest issue is money. The Giants had earlier agreed to pay up to $3 million in additional taxes and rent over what the team currently pays, but balked at state demands that they pay even more if the proposed stadium generates additional revenue for the team from things such as naming rights and luxury suite rentals.

And Codey turned down the team's request to lower its rent on a dollar-for-dollar basis relating to those additional revenues. The team had previously agreed to pay $6.3 million in annual rent for the new venue.

The Giants, who are co-owned by the Mara and Tisch families, have also refused to sign off on Mills Corp.'s and Mack-Cali's $1.2-billion Xanadu project at the adjacent Continental Arena site. That particular dispute is focused on traffic congestion generated by the massive mixed-use project, which is expected to start construction later this year, on the days when the Giants play at home. The Giants want Xanadu shuttered on those days.

Ironically, the Giants and the New York Jets, rivals on the playing field, have apparently become allies at the negotiating table. Both teams currently play at Giants Stadium, and in recent weeks, with the Jets' plans for a new stadium on the West Side of Manhattan foundering in another politically-charged dispute, there had been talk of the two teams working out a deal with the State of New Jersey to remain as co-tenants in the Meadowlands.

Now, with the Giants' $700-million stadium deal in doubt, team officials are said to have met with Jets officials led by president Jay Cross to get behind the proposed West Side stadium as possible co-tenants there. Officials of both teams declined to comment on their talks.

And if both pro football teams wind up in Manhattan, the Meadowlands could end up losing all five of its pro franchises. As reported by GlobeSt.com, the New Jersey Devils of the NHL have already signed a deal to move to a new $310-million arena in Downtown Newark; new owner Bruce Ratner of the NBA's Nets has announced plans to move the team to a new arena in Brooklyn, NY; and pro soccer's MetroStars are hoping to wrap up a financing deal to move to a new stadium in Harrison.