The Randall's Island Field of Schemes plan, which has gone through so many court hearings and decisions than one practically needs a law degree to keep track of things, has taken a sharp left turn into Bizarro World. Under the plan, the city is building ballfields financed by private schools. Yesterday, a Judge tossed out a suit by opponents, ruling that even though she had voided the original agreement between the city and elite private schools to build ballfields that would be for the use of the schools during prime daytime hours, the construction could go ahead anyway. The ruling doesn't change the other ruling that annulled the original deal between the city and the schools on procedural grounds. (Still following?) The city kept building the fields after that ruling and they're now about one-third done. (There are photos and a graphic at the Randalls Island Sports Foundation's site.) The bottom line is that the city may not be able to use the $45 million from schools like Dalton to pay for the fields. Who's paying? Unclear.
· More Ballfields Allowed Despite Voiding of Deal [NYT]
· Randall's Plan is Struck Out [NYP]
· Prep schools can build fields of dreams on Randalls Isle [NYDN]
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