(AllHipHop News) Jay-Z is expected to attend a ground breaking ceremony for the Nets’ new arena in Brooklyn today (March 11) at Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, New York.
The rapper, who owns a percentage of the team, will be joined by developer Bruce Ratner, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. David Paterson to break ground on the construction for the construction of the Barclays Center, an 18,000-seat arena.
While some may welcome The Nets to Brooklyn, other property owners are planning to boycott today’s ceremony.
Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn will protest today in addition to challenging the project in court over private land being used by the state to develop the area.
Over 22 businesses and residents near Atlantic Yards will be evicted by the state if they do not voluntarily vacate their property by April 1st.“I am angry with our so-called political leaders who proudly stand by their abuse of power,” Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn spokesman Daniel Goldstein told New York’s NBC Channel 4. The Nets will begin playing at the new Barclay’s Center in 2012.