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Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park infographics: what's built/what's coming/what's missing, who's responsible, + project FAQ/timeline (pinned post)

Klores, whose firm works on Atlantic Yards, tells NPR that Nets move is "gonna be great" (but maybe not the traffic)

Yesterday, in a segment titled Winning Time, WNYC Radio's Leonard Lopate Show hosted documentarian (an p.r. guy) Dan Klores to talk about his film Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks, which is playing on ESPN.

Klores, founder and chairman of the DKC public relations and marketing company that works on Atlantic Yards, told guest host Mike Pesca he'd sold the company to the employees and waxed optimistically about the future of the New York Knicks, run by General Manager Donnie Walsh.

And then, at about 27 minutes in, Pesca brought up the Nets.



A good thing for the city?

"What about the Nets moving to Brooklyn if and when it happens," asked Pesca. "Will that be a good thing for the city?"

"Yeah," responded the Brooklyn-born Klores enthusiastically. "It's a great thing for the city. Y'know, you gotta give those guys credit. I mean, whether you're for it or against it, boy, they stood with it.

Who's they? The developer, the DKC client Klores found no opportunity to mention, that consistently extracted more government subsidies and concessions?

Bigger than basketball

"Obviously, it's a play that much bigger than basketball," Klores said. "It's gonna be great for the city. I'm from Brooklyn. If Donnie stays, I'm a Knick fan. If not, then I'll be a Net fan."

"And they'll build a team--they'll build a team," he added, mindful of the meme that the Nets are well-positioned, with draft choices and cap space, to acquire better players. "I think it's gonna be great. I don't know what it's gonna do for traffic--but it's going to be great."

Yes, even Klores admits that adding more rush hour traffic to the area around Flatbush and Atlantic avenues might not be a good idea.

Pesca asked of "the idea of the Brooklyn Nets" would be popular nationally.

"I think the one thing that people care about, right, is that you have a product on the floor that's entertaining, that's going to provide you with hope, that's ultimately going to win," Klores said. "You do that, fans will come."

The FCR case study

According to the case study posted on the DKC site:
objectives

DKC was retained by Forest City Ratner Companies, one of the country’s leading developers, to prepare the groundwork for a Frank Gehry-designed development in the Atlantic Yards near downtown Brooklyn.

strategy

The cornerstone of DKC’s strategy was a community and media awareness program consisting of outreach to local advocates and activists around affordable housing, public space development, sustainable development and other community and design benefits.

DKC handled all messaging for the development over the next four plus years, including media materials, local, national and international, along with all media events, including everything from individual reporter walking tours to international press conferences with Frank Gehry and the landscape architect Lauri Olin.

result highlights

In addition to dealing with all levels of media, DKC arranged for numerous editorial board and opinion meetings, ultimately winning support for the project from the New York Times, Daily News, New York Post, Newsday and Crains. DKC also secured coverage of the project throughout the United States and in outlets in the UK, France, Italy, Germany, and Japan, among many others.
(Emphasis added)

Exactly how much of "affordable housing, public space development, sustainable development and other community and design benefits" was evident at the March 11 groundbreaking?

The man in charge: Joe DePlasco

The web site offers this profile of Managing Director Joe DePlasco:
Joe DePlasco joined DKC following several stints in government and politics. He currently oversees much of DKC’s public policy and corporate work, along with crisis communications and business development. Some of his past and present clients include: PBS, Forest City Ratner, General Motors, Ken Burns, Grand Central Terminal, Parsons Brinckerhoff, and HBO.

He has applied his public affairs and campaign experience to a broad array of categories, including entertainment and hospitality, and also works to develop strategic partnerships for a wide range of clients.

Prior to joining DKC, Joe was the communications director for New York City Public Advocate Mark Green. (He also took a leave from DKC to help run Green’s 2001 Mayoral race.) He has held senior positions on congressional, city and statewide campaigns, and has extensive media contacts throughout the city, state and nation. He holds two graduate degrees in American History from Columbia University.

In addition to speech writing for government officials and politicians, his articles and op-eds (under his name and for others) have appeared in the New York Post, the New York Daily News, Newsday and various public policy magazines.
Nearly four-and-a-half years ago, I offered a little more context on DePlasco's strategy.

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