foR BREakiNg NEws visiT www.queenscourier.com january 24, 2013 • The queens Courier 85 nothing small about business s near stadium Small biz see boon in stadium BY TERENCE M. CULLEN Some of these include pouring tcullen@queenscourier.com money into Flushing Meadows to revive the park. John Ferrera, head of the Junction Components of the project are Boulevard Merchants Association, still left wide open, including who noted that a professional soccer will own the team, where displaced arena in the heart of Queens would parkland will go and what ramifica- spur local culture and be an eco- tions are yet to come. nomic boon to the area. Any lost parkland would have “You’ll see for yourself, when- to be replaced in a relatively close ever there’s a major soccer match area. Lashbrook said the league had between countries, how excited the not picked out a site for the poten- neighborhoods get in Queens,” said tial new greenspace, but acknowl- Ferrera, who’s been in business on edged a portion of the Queensway Junction for more than 30 years. “It — a proposed walkway from Rego is a perfect time and place.” Park to Ozone Park — has been sug- More than 1,000 small businesses gested as a possibility. have signed letters of support, and But while fans are expected to be put up signage, to bring a Major THE COURIER/PHOTO BY TERENCE M. CULLEN drawn to businesses along Roosevelt League Soccer (MLS) Stadium to John Ferrera, head of the Junction Boulevard Merchants Association, said “it is a Avenue, known for hosting pas- Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. perfect time and place” for Major League Soccer to come to Queens, which will benefit sionate crowds during internation- The announcement, held at El both Queens and the entire city. al games, there are currently no Sabor Latino in Elmhurst on Friday, it should be significant, said Brett League Soccer has the support of plans in the works to repair the January 18, featured elected offi- Lashbrook, the league’s point man over 1,000 small businesses in the, pothole-ridden thoroughfare, which cials, business leaders and shop for the project. because they understand that the has been infected with questionable owners in the neighborhood. Lashbrook cited MLS’ “March to backbone of this community, the activity, through city financing. Should a potential 25,000-seat the Match,” in which fans will often small businesses, will also receive “There won’t be any city financ- arena go into the park, MLS officials meet up at a local establishment in an improvement in their bottom ing,” Lashbrook said. “We are expect businesses in nearby Jackson walking distance from an arena. The line.” committed to replacing the park- Heights, Corona and Elmhurst to national and international tradition, Peralta said the city and residents land...committed to improving and see significant patronage from fans he said, has been widely successful should not turn down a potential upgrading all the soccer fields in the before and after games. Though for businesses around stadiums. good deal when they see it, but park, as well as making a significant there is no concrete amount of eco- “We all know what it can do promised to “hold league officials’ investment — that’s millions and nomic activity the stadium could potentially,” said State Senator feet to the fire” on fulfilling the millions of dollars — in upgrading bring to northern central Queens, Jose Peralta. “And that’s why Major promises attached to the project. the park as a whole as well as the adjacent neighborhoods.”
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