Yormark: "At the end of the day, it’s great that your food is terrific, but artists want to make money"

Beyond his chilly quote about the New York Islanders, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment CEO Brett Yormark offered another notable quote in his 10/9/17 interview with Sports Business Journal, when asked about the Barclays Center:

What we need to consistently do is create a point of differentiation because of the competitive landscape. We constantly emphasize Brooklyn as a market that has a cool and hip factor. It’s the combination that creates a reason for artists to come here for the first time and to keep coming back. We have to be mindful of maintaining the cost structure. At the end of the day, it’s great that your food is terrific, but artists want to make money and I have to keep an eye of managing our cost structure so artists and events can come here and make money.

(Emphasis added)

That to me partly echoed a 2008 quote from developer Bruce Ratner that presaged the dismissal of original architect Frank Gehry:

“We need jobs, we need shopping that's appropriate and the right price and quality goods, we need supermarkets that provide food that is of quality and well-priced, we need housing, and you know what? The architecture is important, but it's not that important,” says Ratner. "I want to do great architecture, but I have to say something, which is that, if one is going to boil life down to architecture, then you know what? It's not for me,” he adds.

As with Yormark, it was about "managing our cost structure."