QUIGLEY/PRIETO GIVE 'YELLOW CARD' TO METROSTARS NAME CHANGE

(HARRISON) - In response to news reports today that the major league soccer franchise "NY/NJ MetroStars" have changed their team name to "Red Bull New York," Assembly members Joan M. Quigley and Vincent Prieto have vowed legislative action to ensure that New Jersey isn't left on the sidelines, while neighboring New York gets all the glory.ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS
NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE:
March 10, 2006

CONTACT:
Assemblywoman Quigley
(201) 217-4614
Assemblyman Prieto
(201) 770-1303
James Sverapa IV
(609) 292-7065

QUIGLEY/PRIETO GIVE 'YELLOW CARD' TO METROSTARS NAME CHANGE

(HARRISON) - In response to news reports today that the major league soccer franchise "NY/NJ MetroStars" have changed their team name to "Red Bull New York," Assembly members Joan M. Quigley and Vincent Prieto have vowed legislative action to ensure that New Jersey isn't left on the sidelines, while neighboring New York gets all the glory.

"This is ridiculous," said Quigley. "The franchise has a 10-year presence in New Jersey. Our residents support the team. And Hudson County and Harrison are helping the team finance a $165 million stadium construction project."

Quigley and Prieto (both D-Hudson) said they plan on initiating a two-pronged response to the franchise's name change.

They are crafting legislation designed to pressure the team's corporate owners - Austrian-based Red Bull, makers of the energy drink by the same name - to give New Jersey the respect and courtesy that other franchises give their host state or city by including New Jersey in the team name. Quigley and Prieto said they expect Assemblymen Fred Scalera (D-Essex) and Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) to join in sponsoring the measure because they represent the Meadowlands Sports Complex where the team now plays.

The legislators also are sending a letter to the Hudson County Improvement Authority urging the HCIA to join them in urging Red Bull to incorporate New Jersey in the team's name. The HCIA and Harrison are putting up $85 million to help the soccer franchise construct a new stadium in Harrison.

"New Jersey is home to five major league sports franchises, yet we only receive recognition from two of them - three if you used our soccer team's old full name," said Prieto. "The Red Bulls need to get the message: New Jersey won't be kicked around."

--A COPY OF THE QUIGLEY/PRIETO LETTER IS ATTACHED--

NEW JERSEY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JOAN M. QUIGLEY
ASSEMBLYWOMAN 32ND DISTRICT
242 10TH STREET
SUITE 101
JERSEY CITY, NJ 07302
(201) 217-4614

VINCENT PRIETO
ASSEMBLYMAN 32ND DISTRICT
1249 PATERSON PLANK ROAD
SECAUCUS, NJ 07094
(201) 770-1303

March 10, 2006

The Honorable John L. Shinnick
Chairperson, Hudson County Improvement Authority
574 Summit Ave.
Jersey City, N.J. 07306

Dear Chairman Shinnick:

Like many New Jersey residents and fans of the NY/NJ MetroStars soccer team, we were shocked to learn today that the venerable New Jersey-based sports franchise has changed its name to "Red Bull New York."

We find it intolerable and objectionable that the new corporate owners of the soccer team would choose to give the franchise a name that incorporates New York but not New Jersey - the state that has hosted the team for the past 10 years and where a new soccer stadium is being developed to serve as the team's home field.

Plans call for a new stadium and parking facility to be built in Harrison, which is in our legislative district. Harrison is securing $40 million in bonds to fund site cleanup efforts and the Hudson County Improvement Authority is providing $45 million in bond money to finance the parking facility construction. Like you, we are proud of the fact that this popular soccer franchise plans to stay in New Jersey and play in a facility that is in Hudson County and our legislative district. This project is enormously important to Harrison and we certainly want to see it succeed.

However, we have no intentions of sitting idly if Red Bull moves forward with a team name that effectively is disrespectful to New Jersey and its residents - most notably the taxpayers of Hudson County and Harrison. We already are crafting legislation to put the General Assembly on record against this name change. Moreover, we intend to pursue other lines of action to make sure New Jersey is not relegated to second-class status by the soccer team and Red Bull.

For these reasons, we respectfully request that your agency use whatever means possible to ensure that the proposed "Red Bull New York" is abandoned and that New Jersey be an element of any team name. Additionally, we would welcome any information you can provide regarding the naming of the proposed Harrison soccer stadium and any impact that this name change may have on the stadium project.

As always, we look forward to working with you and your agency on all matters that will help promote sound economic development and better services for our residents in Hudson County.

Sincerely,

Assemblywoman Joan Quigley
Majority Conference Leader
D-Jersey City

Assemblyman Vincent Prieto
Deputy Majority Whip
D-Secaucus

cc: The Honorable Tom DeGise, Hudson County Executive
The Honorable Raymond J. McDonough, Mayor of Harrison
HCIA Executive Director Norman M. Guerra