Future of Brooklyn sports complex remains in the air as lease negotiations continue
The fight continues to keep a popular sports complex open in Brooklyn, as negotiations are underway to save it before it's set to close next month.
"We're devastated," said Kevin Anderson, whose 7-year-old daughter Kaleigh plays hockey at Aviator Sports Complex. "This is our life and this is tryout time, so if they miss this and it closes after deadline, they'll have nowhere to play next year."
April deadline looms
Anderson was among the dozens of concerned parents at a town hall meeting Wednesday to try and save Aviator Sports, a program serving thousands of student athletes from more than 60 schools across Brooklyn and Queens. The complex is inside a former airplane hangar at Floyd Bennett Field and is slated to shut down on April 14.
"We're nervous, we're frustrated," said hockey parent Tony Pasquariello. "We're really just trying to understand where do we go from here?"
The venue is leased from the National Parks Service. A spokesperson for current management told CBS News New York that with mounting maintenance and utility expenses, they can't afford to keep it going.
"Everybody's rooting for us"
There are bidders for the complex, including lawyer and real estate investor Steve Maksin.
"We're ready and prepared to spend $5 million to $7 million on renovations," said Maksin.
When CBS News New York asked if he'll make money doing this, he responded, "No, we're not. We'll probably lose money. We know a lot of families that are dependent on the Aviator to stay open and we made a decision to plunge ourselves into the abyss and spend a fortune."
Maksin said the Parks Service could make a decision in the next week, which is welcome news to longtime hockey instructor Chris Werstine.
"There's enough community awareness out there, everybody's rooting for us for the most part and we're pushing," Werstine said.
