CNG issues "Brooklyn 200," including Forest City Ratner, Nets Basketball, and the Barclays Center

The Community Newspaper Group, publisher of the Brooklyn Paper and Courier-Life, has issued a new promotional supplement, Brooklyn 200, "celebrating the places and things that make Brooklyn special," with capsule descriptions.

It's not surprise, given that newspapers are in tough shape, that they produce such questionable products. (Quick, is there any correlation between full-page feature articles on a selected few of the 200 and advertisements bought by those subjects of feature articles?)

Among the 200, as detailed below, are Forest City Ratner, Freddy's Bar, Nets Basketball, and the Barclays Center.

And Marty Markowitz is the only person on the list, getting special mention in the category of "force of nature.

Questionable choices

There are other opportunities for raised eyebrows.

Why a mini-profile of the Brooklyner building but not the Brooklyn Flea (or Brownstoner)? Brooklyn Kickball but not the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory? Downtown law firms like Cullen and Dykman and Goldberg and Cohn, but not South Brooklyn Legal Services or Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation? Nine auto dealers but no one retailer selling bicycles or organization working on transportation policy?

Forest City and Freddy's

The treatment of Forest City Ratner is fairly straightforward, and refers to Atlantic yards as "controversial," locating the arena--unlike in the official promotional material--in Prospect Heights.

The Freddy's listing cites "its impassioned fight against the Atlantic Yards project."

(Click on all graphics to expand.)

The Barclays Center

The under-construction arena gets described as "already changing the face of the borough."

Nets Basketball




Would you believe that "there's no doubt that wen the Brooklyn Nets first hit the hardwood at the Barclays Center, they'll take the floor with the support of an entire borough"?'

You might start subtracting people afflicted by rats.

Marty Markowitz



Would you believe that even Marty Markowitz's "biggest opponents will admit that [he] is"unceasingly dedicated to trying to make Brooklyn a better place to live"?

Maybe except when he's lying about support for Atlantic Yards.