Jets' $2.2bn Manhattan stadium plan that was scrapped

The New York Jets came within a whisker of leaving New Jersey for a state-of-the-art stadium in Manhattan. Owner Woody Johnson's ambitious plan would have given the franchise a home in the heart of New York City, but powerful opposition and political hurdles ultimately scuppered the project.

The proposed venue, known as the West Side Stadium or the New York Sports and Convention Center, was to be built above the rail yards between West 30th and West 33rd Street. With a capacity of 75,000 for NFL games, extendable to 85,000 if the city won its bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics, the multi-use facility carried a price tag of $2.2 billion.

The failed Manhattan project

Johnson's plan faced fierce resistance from Cablevision, which owned Madison Square Garden just a few blocks away. The political battle reached a climax in 2005 when Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver refused to support state funding, delivering a fatal blow.

• The Jets offered to contribute $1.6 billion towards the $2.2 billion construction cost.
• Cablevision opposed the project as it would have competed with Madison Square Garden.
• Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver blocked state funding amid recovery efforts for Lower Manhattan after 9/11.
• The failure contributed to New York City losing its bid for the 2012 Olympics.
• Mayor Michael Bloomberg lamented the setback, saying it would delay growth of the neighbourhood.

After the Manhattan dream died, Johnson partnered with the New York Giants to build MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The $1.6 billion venue opened in 2010 and has since hosted Super Bowl XLVIII and the 2026 World Cup final. The Jets are now valued at an estimated $8.1 billion, but that figure might have been even higher had the Manhattan stadium been realised.