Interestingly, one of the first personnel changes in the aftermath of the transition from Eliot Spitzer to David Paterson in Albany was that of Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) Chairman Pat Foye, who was a friend of the departed governor. Norman Oder of AYR took a look at the sudden departure (on Friday it had been reported that Foye would be staying on the job) and wrote:

What does that mean to Atlantic Yards, shepherded by the ESDC? Were new Governor David Paterson undecided about AY, the transition to a new chairperson, who’d have to get up to speed on pending projects, might be thought to slow things down. But Paterson told the Daily News he’ll continue support for Atlantic Yards. That suggests that work from the ESDC–contractual wrangling, legal strategy, site supervision–can continue without a chairman and, given delays in the project and emerging doubts from Crain’s New York Business, leadership from the top may not be crucial at this point.

Crain’s, by the way, put the odds of Atlantic Yards going ahead at 50-50.