The Times's Learning Network flubs Atlantic Yards: three errors in two sentences (but then fixes it)

The Learning Network, which on the New York Times website "provides teaching and learning materials and ideas based on New York Times content" for teachers and students, didn't do a very good job in its initial mention today of Atlantic Yards, part of Sept. 29, 1957 | New York Giants Play Last Baseball Game.

But give them credit for fixing it quickly.

It stated:

After years of contentious debate and taxpayer protest, an arena at Atlantic Yards in downtown Brooklyn is under now construction. It will be the new home of the National Basketball Association’s New Jersey Nets, who on Monday were officially renamed the Brooklyn Nets.

My comment

I commented that there were three factual errors.

First, while those protesting are (like most people) taxpayers, it's not a "taxpayer protest" as usually understood: people exercised by increased taxes associated with the project. Rather, there's opposition to the project's environmental impact and the perception of sweetheart deals granted the developer Forest City Ratner, which also built the new Times Tower with the New York Times Company.

Second, the arena's not in downtown Brooklyn. It's near Downtown Brooklyn. (The Times has published several corrections on this.)

The distinction is worth making--for example, Downtown Brooklyn was actually rezoned for increased development, while the Prospect Heights site for Atlantic Yards was not rezoned, but instead subject to a state override of zoning on behalf of developer Forest City Ratner.

Third, the team can't be officially renamed the Brooklyn Nets until it moves to Brooklyn. There's one more season left. Jay-Z announcing the name change on September 26 does not mean it's done.

The response

The page editor posted a note that it had been corrected:

After years of contentious debate and protest, an arena at Atlantic Yards near downtown Brooklyn is under now construction. It will be the new home of the National Basketball Association’s New Jersey Nets, who will be officially renamed the Brooklyn Nets.