Transcript: Mayor Adams Breaks Ground on Etihad Park Portion of Willets Point Transformation With NYCFC

December 4, 2024

City Councilmember Francisco Moya: Thank you, everybody. NYCFC. NYCFC. NYCFC! Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Councilmember Francisco Moya, and what a glorious day it is to be standing here with all of you. It is with great excitement and pride that I welcome all of you to this monumental moment.  

Today marks the beginning of a truly special journey, a journey that began 12 years ago with the simple idea of bringing professional soccer to Queens. And here we are, 12 years later, putting shovels to the ground, marking the beginning of Phase 2 here at Willets Point.  

This project will forever change the landscape of the City of New York because we're building it 100 percent union. That's right, to all my union brothers and sisters out there. This project will provide longstanding benefits to our community, economy, and for future generations. And today would not be possible without our first speaker.  

He is someone who has shown his leadership in making sure this project has become a reality. In past administrations, we saw failed plan after failed plan. But it took him and his vision to make this plan a reality. And without further ado, I'd like to welcome and introduce my good friend and partner on this project is the mayor of the City of New York, Mayor Eric Adams. 

Mayor Eric Adams: What a day. And as you look in the foreground, you see the builders going up. So the reality of the dream that we put in place and, really, you have to take your hat off to Councilman Moya. He saw this and this is a real love story, not only with the community, the city, but this place. He knew the possibilities of building a structure that would not only ensure that we have a future in housing, education, but we have our first privately funded, professional, all-electric soccer stadium coming right here.  

Talk about leadership. He's leading the way. He scored a goal for us. He scored a goal for this city, NYCFC. That blue color means so much to so many people of how we were going to continue to bring home the championship to this city.  

So today, we're breaking ground in Etihad Park. Our city's soccer stadium will be here on this ground, and NYCFC will call this their home. It's 100 percent privately funded, as I stated. It was a huge win. Hats off to First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Andrew Kimball, who's here, and all the team members.  

So listen, forget about Manchester United, it's all about NYCFC today and every day. This is Willets Point. This is Etihad Park. And we won. Not only are we going to pull this off for 2026. Where is the finals of the World Cup going to be? Right here in New York and New Jersey.  

We’ll continue to win point after point, goal after goal. Willets Point is going to be the city's premier sports hub. And the accomplishment is something we should all look towards the future for. Soccer is here. Baseball is here. U.S. Open is here. This has become the royal city where the royal sports will be played on this stadium.  

This is the project that delivers, not just the stadium, but retail, food, and beverage facilities, office space, and city square, new plaza for the community events. Today is a once-in-a-generation historic victory for this neighborhood. A permanent signature that this councilman is going to leave on this community. This is a legacy project. We cannot thank him enough. And he is bringing his heart and spirit to make sure this happens.  

The stadium is part of our Willets Point transformation, building a neighborhood with more housing, public space, and a new school out of the Valley of Ashes so our children can see the possibilities in this community. We're scoring the city's largest affordable housing project in the past 40 years, 2,500 units of affordable housing and union built. Union built.  

This is a real victory for our city. Score more than 40 square feet of public space, 650 seat public school for our students. This transformation with Willets Point will generate $6.1 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, creating over 1,500 permanent jobs, 14,000 construction jobs. And just last month, Gary LaBarbera and I announced for the infrastructure work here, and we laid the groundwork for agreements covering $50 billion in work across this city. $50 billion in union jobs. This is a major accomplishment for all those involved, and we're going to continue to move forward as a working-class city.  

Earlier this morning, we announced the tax for low-income New Yorkers, removing the taxes for low-income New Yorkers, the city tax and the personal income tax, city tax for low-income New Yorkers, and we're just going to continue to build on the success of the city, great job, great team, let's win the gold for this entire city. Good job. 

City Councilmember Moya: Give it up for Mayor Eric Adams. Thank you, mayor, for your leadership on this. I also want to take this opportunity to thank two individuals who, without them, none of this would have been possible, and that is to Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. Thank you so much for all that you do. You have been the captain of the team and the person who drove this project all the way home, and we thank you for that, Maria. 

And I would also like to thank someone who's been a real champion for building a New York City economy that works for all of us, and that is the President and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. He has been a great partner in this whole process, and my very good friend, Andrew Kimball.  

Now folks, we all know that we're standing here on the Valley of Ashes, that F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote about in The Great Gatsby. But the story of Willets Point is a long and winding road. It's filled with stops and starts and so deeply intertwined in the history of New York City, because from the closing of that ash dump Fitzgerald wrote about, this swath of land that we stand on here this very day went all the way to the far reaches of Flushing Meadows Corona Park, to where Shea Stadium once stood, found itself in the crosshairs of Robert Moses. 

He used the topsoil from right here to lay the ground that the 1939 World's Fair would be built upon. But he wasn't done. He wanted more. And he came back in 1960, intended to expand on his previous venture to include this very spot for parking and exhibitions for the 1964 World's Fair. But he failed. Instead, he left us with parkland carved up by pavement deemed essentially worthless and described as lacking any scenic beauty. Willets Point was his Everest, left unclimbed and undeveloped.  

See, the interesting thing is how much my life has been shaped by Robert Moses, just like this neighborhood. It was in his 1964 World's Fair that brought two young Ecuadorian immigrants together. They would marry, settle down just blocks from where they met, and they raised two young boys. Those boys would learn to play soccer on the often forgotten, neglected fields of grass between the roads in the park created by Mr. Moses and the very place their parents met. And the dream of one day, they would be growing pro.  

Now, I'm sure by now you've guessed that one of those little boys is the one that got his mom's good looks and the better soccer player. And that was me. No offense to my brother, Ed. I love you still to this day, but we all know the truth. So I stand here today as a Latino kid from 102nd Street in Corona, Queens, whose life was so incredibly touched and molded by the choices Robert Moses made by creating my own legacy by correcting one of his greatest failures. And from the moment that I was elected, I knew that I was going to bring a soccer stadium to Queens.  

I knew that it needed to be built alongside affordable housing. I knew that it needed to be built 100 percent union. I knew that it needed to be for the community, by the community. So I'm honored and I'm humbled to be guiding this new chapter in what will be a whole new start for Willets Point. So I might not have gotten pro, but I look forward to seeing some kid that is kicking a ball over in Flushing Meadows, Corona Park to put on that NYCFC kit and step into the pitch at Etihad Park.  

So it's often that people in public service not only stop to consider the differences between their accomplishments and their legacy. Our accomplishments have already happened, but our legacies are the intangibles that will live on into the future. And one man whose legacy will be felt not just here, but around the world is our next speaker.  

I’d like to say that Marty Edelman is the most interesting man alive. He was friends with Jackie Robinson. I mean, this guy led peace talks in the Middle East, and I think that's what prepared him for the negotiations in the New York City land use process. But he's ever the gentleman for whom I'm eternally grateful to have worked with on this project. He showed that to get great things done, we may not all get what we want, but if we walk away saying the decision was fair, then we did it right.  

So to Marty, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming all the way to Corona, Queens and meeting with me at Mama's at 8:30 in the morning to get this deal done. I can't thank you enough. Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for the great Marty Edelman, the vice chairman for the New York City Football Club. 

Marty Edelman, vice chairman, New York City Football Club: So this is the last time I'm going to speak after Mayor Adams and Fransico Moya. When we open the stadium, I'm going to speak first. It's too tough.  

It's hard to believe that over 12 years ago, our CEO, Ferran Soriano, who was in the job one day, and I met with Don Garber and said, we want to have a franchise for Major League Soccer in the United States, but only in one place, New York City. And I asked myself this morning, why are we here today? Why, after so many false starts, are we here? And I hearken back to the glorious past of the Mets, which is, you got to believe.  

We're here today, first, because Randy Levine and Hal Steinbrenner believed in us and helped partner with us to ease our way into New York City. We're here today because Mayor Eric Adams believed and fulfilled the long committed promise of New York City, which was unfulfilled, to develop Willets Point as a community. We are here because my dear friend, Francisco Moya, believed with incredible passion and never gave an inch on the journey to bring soccer to Queens and keep us all energized for success.  

NYCFC has sought to build an organization that New York can be proud of. And we're here today because people like Steve Ross and Jeff Blau and Jeff Wilpon migrated the City of Yes to Willets Point with 2,500 units of much needed affordable housing, but still made room for us. And we're here because Steve Cohen and Michael Sullivan decided after a fairly long negotiation that we could be an acceptable neighbor.  

The local community supported our vision, and we're here to deepen our relationships with that community, including our dear friends at Community Board seven and, of course, the incredible Peoples Borough President, the ever-vigilant Donovan Richards. It's cold. The pages are sticking together. So maybe the next groundbreaking could be in June?  

From the beginning, we were committed to keep our promise that this would be a union-built and operated stadium. Thank you to the union men and women who are here and proudly represent your trades. Thank you for your support. We are eager to get to work. After this ceremony, you will see thousands of union construction jobs and union workers making the stadium come to life. Make sure when you drive by, you periodically open the window and shout out, we now believe.  

We may live in a world of political and economic uncertainty, but the union jobs created by this project exist because the mayor and our leaders in the city are committed to delivering economic growth that is complete, certain, and enduring. Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, EDC's Andrew Kimball, and Melissa Birch and their team were tireless advocates of the project and zealous protectors of the city's needs during the long process. Saying thank you seems somewhat inadequate.  

I am incredibly proud of our club staff, Brad Sims, Jen O'Sullivan, and David Lee, for their passionate work on and off the pitch. And I can say with conviction that I would not be here today without the incredible positivity and relentless determination of our developer and my longtime partner and friend, John Stemp.  

But more importantly to who we are is our work through the five boroughs providing free soccer programming, which we believe will have generational impact in the city and the community. The New York City Foundation, led by Paul Jeffries, worked with New York City to build over 50 community pitches, many here in Queens, and we have a commitment for an additional 26.  

For ten years, we have been investing in New York City. Our commitment to privately finance the construction of New York City's first ever soccer-specific stadium has been a long and challenging journey. But today, we're definitely a step closer to keeping our promise. Our owners, who are from many parts of the world, including our main owner, who's 9,000 miles away, have committed their energy and capital to this stadium at its home of soccer in Queens. 

Lastly, and always the most important group for us are our fans, who showed up again today in this balmy weather to support us. I know it's been difficult sometimes for you guys, as it has for us, but you've never wavered. Your never-ending determination has inspired me and the club's leadership to keep going and to deliver this project to you and our city. Soccer is definitely a worldwide metaphor for both team and community. Today, we have a hat trick. Mayor Adams, Councilman Moya, and all of you, thank you very much. 

City Councilmember Moya: Thank you, Marty. Our next speaker is someone who I first contacted– Oh, I'm sorry. I lost my page, and I can't make the excuse that I couldn't thumb through it.  

But the next person is someone that I want to bring up here. He's someone who, his partnership has been invaluable in making this project a reality. Together, we finally can say that we brought soccer to the world's borough, our borough president, Donovan Richards. 

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards: Alrighty, is Queens in the house? Is Queens in the house? Is NYCFC in the house? Alrighty, it is a great morning. And first, let me start by thanking Mayor Adams, his administration, of course, to our ever-visionary. Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others, and I want to thank my brother, Councilmember Francisco Moya, for his vision in getting this done as well, and all of the partners, because there is no I in team, and this is certainly why we are here today.  

And I know, as Marty alluded to, I wish that this groundbreaking was in the summer, but we are here today, because when history calls, you answer no matter the season. And that's what's happening here today. The world's borough is officially becoming home to the world's game, soccer. And I couldn't be prouder to represent this borough, because what is representative of today is we are breaking ground right here in Queens on New York City's first-all electric, privately financed, professional sports stadium. Now, that sounds like history to me.  

How many of us read The Great Gatsby? In that book, as Francisco alluded to, F. Scott Fitzgerald caught this very spot, the Valley of Ashes. I don't know about you, but I do not see any ashes today. I see the makings of 2,500 new homes, the city's largest 100 percent affordable housing development in 40 years. I see Etihad Park, the future home of New York City Football Club. I see the makings of a hotel. I see a school, three acres of open space, community space, and more. And I see thousands of union jobs on the cusp of being created, supporting thousands of families with fair wages and good benefits, because in Queens County, we often say that not any job is good for us, but good union jobs are good for this county.  

So I see New York City's next great community right here at Willets Point. And that's what's rising out of disaster. The possibilities here are endless, because we have set a new standard here in Queens on what community development looks like. And when you look at the challenges on the outskirts of what will be the stadium of coming through COVID-19, people said, let's go back to normal. Well, normal never worked for this part of Queens. This is what the new normal will be moving forward in our county. And that's what all of us are here working towards, to ensure that we'll be able to do that.  

We'll be hiring locally from North Queens and contracting with local MWBEs, because you cannot criminalize your way out of poverty. And if not, you know now, I'm not afraid to make some noise on that. We're working to make sure that local kids have the same opportunity to touch that same grass that the NYCFC players will. And I do believe the next Highland will come right out of Corona, Queens, because this stadium needs to be accessible to the entire community, not just the team. We're upgrading the infrastructure.  

Thank you, DEP and DDC, for what you do, because we know this work would not be done without you. But more than anything, we want to give Queens families the foundation they need to not just survive, but thrive. A good-paying job, a good home, a good neighborhood. Those are the goals we're scoring today with this groundbreaking. So this project will change this borough for the better. Simple as that. And I can't wait to be back to cut the ribbon in 2027. Queens, we scored a goal. Congratulations to everyone. Queens, get the money. 

City Councilmember Moya: Alright. Thank you, Borough President Richards. The next speaker is someone who I first contacted back when I wrote a letter when I was first an assemblymember. And in this letter, I explained my dream of bringing an MLS team to New York City. Well, Don, the first time that we spoke back in season 2012-2013 seems like a distant memory now that we're actually putting shovels to the ground on this new stadium. And what started out as a dream has now become a reality. And I thank you for your leadership. And from one Queens boy to another, thank you for what you've done for Major League Soccer. Thank you for bringing this day to a close with us. Everybody, give it up for Don Garber.  

Don Garber, commissioner, Major League Soccer: Thank you. I think– can I call you Francisco? 

City Councilmember Moya: Yes. 

Garber: First of all, how many of you from Queens? You're from Queens. I'm from Queens. I grew up in the shadow of this stadium, grew up in Flushing, and never in my life did I think I'd be standing here in my literal backyard breaking ground on a facility that I think is going to capture the hearts and minds of the biggest, most important city in the world. The borough that is the focal point of just about every single country in the world, the world's game is being to be played here in the world's borough, and it absolutely is perhaps one of the most exciting things for me, my 25 years as the commissioner of Major League Soccer.  

Back in the day, I got a call from Marty and Ferran and said, hey we really think that New York needs an MLS team. That was team number 18. This year, we have team number 30. That was when we had 12 soccer stadiums. This is number 26. Building the foundation of the sport brick by brick to basically build a league for a new America. And I can't thank all of you, to start with the fans who stuck with us, who basically believe in your club, who supported the club through thick and thin. And now I can't wait to join you in 2027 when this stadium is opened up to the world.  

To Mayor Adams, who, by the way, we went to Bayside High School together. I'm a year older than he is. Mayor Adams, thank you for your leadership and thank you for your support. Donna, thank you very much for your support. Councilman, this man is what politicians, great politicians, should be all about. For 15 years, he fought for this community. And you delivered. And that really is something that we all should be proud of. To Randy, without you, Randy Levine, we don't have this stadium. He fought hard for everything that we have here today and truly is the man behind the scenes. And Marty.  

Marty Edelman is one of those. He is one of those people in New York City that you don't hear about. And without Marty Edelman, New York City isn't the great city that it is today. So on behalf of soccer fans across America, Marty, on behalf of all your fellow owners, I want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You fought for 10 years for this building, and we just are so grateful for that. And I want to welcome the newest member of the ownership group as well, Marcelo Claure. Can't wait, folks. Let's get it done. 

City Councilmember Moya: Thank you, commissioner. And now the next person I would like to introduce is a long-time friend who I really consider like a brother, Gary LaBarbera. Gary, you listened to my vision 20 years ago when no one else would. I remember sitting in your office, and you've always been there for me, but more importantly, the workers that you represent.  

My brother, you have scored two major goals with this project by having it built 100 percent union and by, as the mayor talked about, securing a project labor agreement that you and the mayor were able to do here in the City of New York, which would establish fair wages, benefits, safety protection for workers, and provide opportunities for workforce development. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the president of the building trades, Gary LaBarbera. Hey, Gary. 

Garber: I forgot to introduce somebody. Can I do that? I think, as the mayor said, we've got the World Cup coming to the New York area, coming to 12 cities here in the United States, two in Canada, three in Mexico. We have a representative of FIFA here and the president of CONCACAF, Victor Montagliani. Victor, thanks for joining us here today. I'm so sorry about that. 

Gary LaBarbera, president, Building and Construction Trades Council: Don't be sorry. Alright. Good afternoon, everybody. I just want to start by saying a few things, I'll make this as brief as possible because we want to break ground, but I want to comment on what Francisco said, and it was about 20 years ago that he was in my office, and he proposed this idea, and, you know, obviously, I thought it was a long shot, to be honest with you. But I said to him, you know, Francisco, anything that we can do, you know, we will be there to support you through the process because his vision for this stadium was not only to bring soccer to New York City, but it was also to create economic opportunity, doing things that are really important for communities, and his commitment 20 years ago was, and we're going to build it.  

And I've got to say, you know, his vision and dream came true, and it's unbelievable that we're standing here today 20 years later from that original conversation at a groundbreaking. So I think we all have to give it up big time for Francisco Moya, for his dream, his vision, his commitment. 

Now, you know, these things just don't happen. It takes a lot of work, and it takes a lot of commitment to move things through the governmental process. And I have to take this opportunity to tell you that this wouldn't have happened without Mayor Eric Adams. And I have to share something with you all, and this is from my heart.  

You know, there's a lot of thank yous to go around, but, you know, the mayor mentioned about we're on the precipice of finalizing a project labor agreement for $50 billion. And in our conversations over the years, we have figured out a way to where there are points that meet where we can accomplish several goals at the same time. And that is to have and build a bigger and better New York City, build brighter futures with career paths through union agreements. Not jobs, but careers. And this project is going to offer many opportunities into the apprentice programs. That is a priority. That's one of the intersections where at the building trades and Mayor Adams and his administration where we agree, we are working on so many things together.  

So in the way of thank yous, on behalf of over 100,000 unionized construction workers in the City of New York, we owe Mayor Eric Adams a very big thank you. And we should hear some Adams chants now as well. We heard Moya, but we got to hear Adams, Adams, Adams, Adams. And I mean that.  

And this is a blue collar mayor that I've known a long time. And I'm telling you, with the team that we have here, everyone here that's been involved in this, this is a great day. And I, look, First Deputy Maria Torres-Springer, thank you for all you're doing. All the work that you do is moving things along, making all these type projects possible. Andrew Kimball, I got a meeting with him tomorrow. We're talking about things we never talked about. It doesn't stop here. This doesn't stop here.  

Oh, this is just one of a lot of projects we're going to make happy with this administration, working together in partnership, let me tell you. So listen, it is really an honor for me to be here. Congratulations to everyone. Thank you to everyone. And I always say this, God bless you all from my heart. And God bless America. And let's go break some ground. 

Councilmember Moya: I just want to shout out my mother. Ma, te quiero mucho. Without her, none of this is possible.