What To Watch For: New York City In 2014

As the year winds down, it's important to stop and reflect. 

But reflecting isn't nearly as fun as speculating about the future, so let's take a look at next year's biggest stories, today!

Here are three stories we think you'll be talking about in New York City in 2014. 

1. Bill de Blasio: Year One
For the first year of his first term, Mayor Bill de Blasio is going to hear one thing, and one thing only: "Michael Bloomberg wouldn't have done it that way." For de Blasio The Candidate, this was a good thing. For de Blasio The Mayor, it will likely be a refrain that gets old quickly. Every misstep, stumble and plan executed to anything less than perfection will be scrutinized and compared to Bloomberg's three terms. 

2. Union Contracts For City Employees
This is probably story 1a. After years of working without contracts, thousands of unionized city employees have been salivating at the chance to sit across the table from somebody other than Bloomberg, who is a notoriously intransigent negotiator. Will de Blasio be easier to deal with after a campaign of populist promises? Can the city absorb the costs of the back pay that will have to be shelled out while he is in office? We'll find out in 2014. 

3. Boondoggle Barclays Center?
The Barclays Center opened officially in 2012. In 2014, Brooklyn will expect to see the rising tide of local money that was promised as part of the deal that landed it on Atlantic and Flatbush in the first place. So far, the signs are not good — the revenue it has generated is way off from expectations. Will they be able to get on track in 2014? Expect to hear a lot about it, one way or another.