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NEW YORK (WABC) -- It's been a bitter turf war pitting residents and businesses against the Atlantic Yards developer, but Brooklyn's new arena is finally breaking ground.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor David Paterson, Jay-Z and business leaders will take part in a groundbreaking today for the Barclays Center at Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn.
The 18,000-seat arena for the Nets has been held off for years by legal challenges and money problems. The project was originally proposed back in 2003.
The first-stage of the project is also set to include three residential buildings -- but they haven't been designed yet.
Opponents of the project plan to stage a protest rally nearby.
The arena is in a dream location the Brooklyn Dodgers never had.
"This should've happened four years ago. Now's the time to get the construction started, get the affordable housing built, let's get the jobs created and go Brooklyn Nets," Brooklyn Borough President, Marty Markowitz said.
The full project, all 16 apartment and office towers could take the next quarter-century to complete. But families and businesses in the area could get kicked out of the area now.
Gov. Paterson last week warned they had just 30 days to leave.
State officials will move to evict 22 families and companies if they don't leave voluntarily, by April 3rd.
The neighborhood has already seen a lot of work with buildings in the area demolished. And as of December 2009, the Long Island Railroad has a brand new rail yard for its trains.
When it opens, the Barclays Center will host more than 200 events annually -- pro and college sports, concerts and of course Nets basketball.
The Nets currently play in the Meadowlands at the Izod Center in New Jersey.
For the next two seasons, they'll be playing at The Rock in the Prudential Center in Newark.
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