The NYC and NYS taxpayers were robbed of over FOUR BILLION dollars to subsidize the construction of Yankee stadium - one of the biggest boondoggles ever in NY history - a facility nominally used about 81 days per year.

That money could have been put to far better use building the second avenue subway, new bridges between NY/NJ, city's infrastructure, etc., but instead it went to a wealthy, private company's white elephant that many of us will never visit.

For more information on how taxpayers got burned in the Yankee stadium construction:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/sports/baseball/...

Given the astronomical amount of money wasted on such a project, it is astounding and unacceptable that NYC cannot find a few hundred million to pay for the construction of the Kingsbridge Ice center, which can be used a full 365 days per year.

Many of us hockey players grew up in a city without a viable ice rink near us, and while a few have appeared over the last few years there are over 8 million people here, and there is clearly a need for many more rink surfaces to accomodate the general public. Anyone who has recently attended a public skate or open hockey can attest to how crowded they are.

Spread the word of this petition to all hockey and figure skaters you know, plus any friends/family who attend public skates as well. All NYC residents have a vested interest in seeing this facility built, and would have been a FAR better use of our tax dollars that seeing the NY Yankees get even richer on our dime.

Sign this petition and I will forward it on to the NYC officials and bureaucrats handling (should I say "mis-handling?") the development and construction of this ice center. These include the mayor as well as EDC officials who do not understand the importance of having this facility and value to the community.