With the Nets leaving New Jersey in the near future to Brooklyn, there is a big sports void to fill and the New York Mets might be it.

Shea Stadium is a very dated venue and the Mets will have a difficult time remaining competative while they remain in Queens.

"We are going to create an environment where they can make money," George Zoffinger said in reference to a potential move to New Jersey.

Zoffinger insisted that bringing a major league team to New Jersey would not come at the expense of state taxpayers.

"The people in Washington are going to pay $30 million (US) a year to have a baseball team," Zoffinger said, referring to the cost of a new stadium, the renovation of RFK Stadium and a sweetheart lease given to the owners of the former Montreal Expos. "That doesn't make any sense to me."

Much of the money needed to build a baseball stadium in New Jersey could be raised by leasing the rights to manage both the Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth Park, two tracks currently owned by the sports authority, Zoffinger said.

The NJSEA, which is hoping to get at least $300 million with a long-term lease of those rights, on Thursday extended the deadline for bids on the racetrack lease by 21 days.