After years of law suits and delays, groundbreaking on the new Nets basketball arena in Brooklyn happened earlier today. The new eighteen thousand seat Barclays Center will be located at Atlantic Yards at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues, and is expected to open for the 2012-2013 basketball season.
 
Inside a makeshift tent were Governor Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg, Developer Bruce Ratner of Forest City Ratner, Barclays President Bob Diamond, entertainers Jay-Z and Beyonce, all supporters of the project…And outside were dozens of protesters and police.
 
Many protesters held signs and shouted “shame on you” outside a fence adjacent to the tent.  
 
As a result of the project moving forward, 22 residents and businesses near the site have been sent letters from the state telling them they will be evicted if they do not leave voluntarily by April 3.