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No Jets in Cortland this summer; Fans and businesses disappointed
Posted: 06.24.2011 at 7:44 PM
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CORTLAND -- There's no doubt who they root for at Doug's Fish Fry in Cortland, and that's the NY Jets.
Autographs and photos of players are proudly on display. The jets have made Cortland home for the past two summers, having their training camp at SUNY Cortland. But this summer - they won't be here. For fans like Ginger Myers, who used to be a Buffalo Bills fan but switched teams when the Jets came to town, it's sad news.
"I'm dis-appointed," Myers said. "I think it's sad for the Cortland area, sad for this economy and I think a lot of people come out for the team."
Because of the ongoing labor dispute in the NFL between players and owners, no one knows when players will return to the field. Because of the uncertainty, the Jets have opted to train closer to home this summer at their facility in New Jersey if the lockout ends. It's bad news for business in Cortland. Even though they only are in town a few weeks, during that time last summer 41-thousand people visited the SUNY Cortland campus and nearly 6-million dollars was pumped into the local economy.
Doug's Fish Fry, which is right by campus, sees a lot more green when Gang Green is in town.
"It was a huge dis-appointment but we look back on the last couple of years with nothing but positive memories," says Manager Eric Cole. "The players and staff and media and fans, everyone was really good to us."
Jets leaders have assured the president of the university that the team will be back on campus for training camp next summer. The contract with the university runs through 2013 and there is the option to expand after that.
"We're very enthusiastic Jets fans and we'll just wait till next summer," says SUNY Cortland President Erik Bitterbaum. "They really seem committed so I think that's the silver lining."
In the meantime, the university will keep the fields immaculate until the team eventually returns.