Democracy In Albany

The controversy over the arena's esthetics is in keeping with the project's long and disputatious history. For years after the arena was proposed, Albany politicians argued about its size and location. When these issues were finally settled, they argued some more over what the arena should be called. They finally had to resort to a phone-in poll to resolve the matter.

Another source of controversy is the arena's $65 million price tag. Albany is suffering serious budget problems, and many residents blame the arena.

But all this grousing has not dampened the spirits of the arena's chief supporter, James J. Coyne, who has been the Albany County Executive for the last 14 years.

''The events here are going to put Albany on a national map, even on an international map,'' he said.

How some Albany residents aptly described the completed Knickerbocker Arena:

A recent survey by The Albany Times-Union found residents universally unimpressed by the arena, a white metal-sided structure wedged next to an exit ramp off Interstate 787.

They compared it to a refrigerator, a toaster and a metal box.

''It looks like an oil tank,'' said Wayne Schermerhorn, the chef at Bella Napoli, an Italian restaurant across Beaver Street from the arena.

''It's an ugly monstrosity,'' said Dolores Pratt, a waitress at the restaurant.

''It looks like a flimsy piece of junk,'' said the Assembly Speaker, Mel Miller.