‘It’s kind of depressing sometimes.’- Traditional holiday lights along Yankee Stadium will not go up this year

The 161 Street Business Improvement District says the holiday lights which usually line River Avenue next to the Yankee Stadium won’t be going up this year.
The district has a holiday tradition to brighten up the neighborhood. It hangs giant snowflakes on lamp posts along the street which glow day and night.
"When there’s a festive atmosphere, if there's joyfulness, if there are bright lights, it encourages you to want to stay in that area,” said executive director Dr. Cary Goodman.
While gift shops and restaurants are shining with holiday cheer, the sidewalk along the stadium remains dark.
"It’s kind of depressing sometimes… they are a billion company, they should be doing a lot more for the neighborhood,” said co-owner of the Yankee Twin Eatery Bar Joseph Michilis.
While the stadium is not technically part of the BID, he says it has joined in on the holiday decor for the last seven years--contributing $6,000 to hang lights along the stadium.
"The stadium is such a big part of the neighborhood, we always want to try to find ways to connect the community,” said Goodman.
Although they are not part of the BID either, Bronx Terminal Market contributed for lights and Concourse Plaza Mall gave the money to hire a Santa to pass out candy canes to kids.
The BID says they never heard back from the Yankees but that this isn’t the first time.
"When the pandemic started, we reached out to them to have them try to help us with our small businesses and nonprofits, we never heard back,” said Goodman.
News 12 reached out to the Yankees about the holiday light displays and has not heard back yet.