Atlantic Watchdog

It's the Cold War all over again as Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov has purchased the soul of the Atlantic Yards development deal.

News (or should we say something else) hit the fan amidst support and criticism from all sides of the political spectrum. Mr. Prokhorov has thrown at least $200 million into the Yards, saving the project (and its developer, Bruce Ratner) from financial ruin. But who is this shadowy figure that has purchased a large stake in one of Brooklyn's priciest development deals in centuries?

According to Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, a blog that has avidly protested all things Atlantic Yards (with a considerable amount of success), he is not fit to clean up after the stadiums peanut vendors.

"Mr.Prokhorov has been accused of asset stripping, abuse of corporate governance and violations of minority shareholder rights. He was arrested in France in 2007 on suspicion of involvement in a prostitution ring," said the blog [http://www.developdontdestroy.org/php/latestnews_Linked.php?id=2332].

That's quite a resume isn't it? After a considerable amount of research in Mr. Prokhorov's background, Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn Spokesman Daniel Goldstein stated his blogs official position.

"So much for Ratner’s mantra that this project is ‘about Brooklyn,’" Goldstein said. "We don’t need to be Kremlinologists to know that Mr. Prokhorov doesn’t care one nickel about Brooklyn or know squat about Brooklyn."

On the other hand, Brooklyn's premier Borough President, Mr. Marty Markowitz welcomed the well-to-do investor with open arms.

In a statement to the New York Post, Markowitz had this to say: "Brooklyn is the Russian capital of America, so Mr. Prokhorov will feel right at home here, and I have been assured he will put the interests of Brooklyn first when it comes to making [the planned] Barclays Center and its benefits to Brooklyn a reality."

Out on the street, Atlantic Watchdog got the opinions of a few concerned Brooklynites.

"This is ridiculous!" raved Samantha Mazor, a lifelong resident of the Prospect Heights area. "I mean, I'm a Nets fan, but this is Brooklyn. They can't sell away such an intricate part of our borough. I don't think Russians know much about b-ball anyway. I bet he's looking for the Nets to hit a record number of home runs this year with him at the helm."

Ruth Savela, a employee of a Prospect Heights convenience store, felt differently.

"I think it's good. We've needed something like this in Brooklyn for a while. I don't think it matters where the moneys coming from, as long as it's coming."