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In the early 2000s, Brooklyn was in flux. The borough had transitioned from an industrial working-class identity into a burgeoning hub for creatives and entrepreneurs. Despite this revival, the absence of a professional sports franchise since the Brooklyn Dodgers defected to Los Angeles in 1957 left an emotional void that attracted developer Bruce Ratner's keen eye. In 2003, Ratner presented a dramatic $4.9 billion project called Atlantic Yards, designed to reshape a neighborhood into a luxurious enclave with a new home for the New Jersey Nets, which he purchased in 2004.