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Two soccer fields in Flushing Meadows Corona Park are undergoing a $2 million makeover, even though the City is working on a deal to construct a Major League Soccer stadium over that same spot, reports the Times Ledger.

Three fields, including two located right on the footprint of the 13-acre stadium, are reportedly benefiting from a $2.8 million overhaul, with new landscaping, artificial turf, and repainted bleachers and goal posts. If the plan goes through, the fields would be torn up anyway, the paper reports.

From the Times Ledger;

City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) allocated the money for the projects and said repairs are needed now for the residents who play soccer on the fields.

…

An MLS spokeswoman said only that the league continues to be in active and productive discussions with the city. But another park advocacy group said building the stadium now would not make sense after Ferreras’ capital investment.

“It’s great news for the community that the city is finally improving these fields. Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the only major park for our neighborhoods and tens of thousands of people come to play soccer here every weekend,” said Will Sweeney of the Fairness Coalition. “Tearing up these newly improved public soccer fields to build a private, for-profit stadium would be a massive waste of millions of taxpayer dollars and an outrageous corporate giveaway.”

Thing is, Will, the Parks Dept. hasn’t won any awards recently for their stewardship of tax dollars. So we’ll see.

Report: Parks Dept. blows chances to pull in $8.8 million [Bayside Patch]

Bloomberg to Major League Soccer: We still want your arena [Capital NY]