The Yankees are reportedly close to an agreement with the city and state officials to build a new baseball park.
The New York Daily News reported that lawyers from all three sides are finalizing some details and an announcement could come as early as May.
According to the report, the new stadium will be made up of two separate structures: an exterior wall, designed to replicate the original Yankee Stadium built in 1923, and the interior stadium itself, which will rise above the exterior.
The new stadium is also expected to feature copper lattice work around the roof, the way it was in the 1923. The façade was painted white during the 1960s, as it now appears above the outfield. But the new stadium will return to the original copper.
The new facility will also have expanded retail and concession areas.
"We're working very closely with the city and the state and trying to finalize our current plan," Yankees president Randy Levine told the paper. "We expect to announce it in the near future, and we hope to break ground in 2006 and be ready to play in 2009."
The Yankees will pay approximately $800 million US for the stadium itself. The state will supply nearly $300 million for a new Metro-North station, parkland along the now run-down waterfront and better parking facilities around the stadium.
The plan is for the stadium to be built just north of where the stadium sits now, between 161st and 164th Streets, and between Jerome and River Avenues. It is also expected to seat 50,800, 6,678 less than the current capacity, but with 50 to 60 luxury suites.
with files from Sports Network
