The Barclays Center: Built for a Bank, Not for Brooklyn or the Nets

Welcome to the grand opening of the Barlcays Center—through the Calvin Klein VIP entrance, past the American Express box office, and into the Geico atrium—the sometimes home of the Brooklyn Nets. Because in truth this is the bank’s home and everybody else are its guests. Today it is the press corp’s turn and we have been welcomed in the grandest of style. Fresh orange juice, hot quiche, chocolate-covered strawberries abound, though none of the twee Brooklyn food that will soon be sold at the very Brooklyn concession stands.

As one reporter mentioned to another, “Remember the good ole’ days?”  Would that be when Brooklyn had a team or when journalists could afford their own meals or even a few sweet years ago when this was still a hole in the ground, neighbor fought neighbor and the banks were booming.