NEW YORK -- New York City is willing to pay a third of the cost of new ballparks for the Mets and Yankees if the teams and New York State also pay one-third each.

Mets co-owner Nelson Doubleday said Wednesday he didn't see government money forthcoming for a new ballpark and said refurbishing Shea Stadium might be an alternative.

Fred Wilpon, the Mets' other co-owner, announced in April 1998 plans to build a $500 million ballpark resembling Ebbets Field, the former home of the Brooklyn Dodgers, in the parking lot adjacent to Shea Stadium. The ballpark would have a retractable roof, 78 luxury suites and a capacity of 45,000.

"The city has the money to do it, but the city needs a substantial contribution from the private baseball organization, and the same is true of the Yankees," New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said Thursday.

"So it's not a matter of the city not having the money to do it. It's a matter of if the private baseball organization wants to donate or put in or pay for about a third of the cost in real dollars. ... That would roughly be the same thing with the Yankees."

In October 1998, Wilpon said he hoped the Mets could move into a new ballpark in 2003, but no progress has been announced since then and there is no evidence of a desire to contribute money from either New York state's Legislature or New York's City Council.

Charles Gargano, the state's economic development director, said the state has made no such pledge as the one Giuliani mentioned.

"I don't know of any formula as such exists," Gargano, who is close to Gov. George Pataki, said Thursday.

Gargano said the state's position for six years has been that it is "willing to look into any infrastructure improvements."

Gargano said the Pataki administration has had no contact with the Mets about improvements at Shea Stadium or a new ballpark.

Giuliani has talked about a West Side stadium in Manhattan either for the Yankees or the NFL's New York Jets. The Yankees, whose lease at Yankee Stadium expires in 2002, also are considering refurbishing Yankee Stadium or building a ballpark in New Jersey.

In the state's talks with the Yankees about renovations at Yankee Stadium, Gargano said some of the things discussed were state-funded improvements to highways and access roads around the stadium and perhaps a new Metro North mass transit stop at the stadium.

Pataki has said he wants the Yankees to stay in the Bronx and has not discussed what the state would do if the team tries to build a new stadium in Manhattan, according to Gargano.

Until now, a new ballpark adjacent to Shea Stadium has been the only alternative mentioned by the Mets.

"I kind of like this place and I don't see a ballpark in downtown New York City," Doubleday said Wednesday before the Mets clinched a playoff spot by beating Atlanta 6-2. "I don't see a great deal of taxpayer money to build the New York Mets a stadium. I think this place can be refurbished and made up to date."

Giuliani said that was news to him.

"The Mets have not said this to me, so I don't know if this accurately represents their viewpoint. But they know my offer," the mayor said. "From the city's point of view, it would be better to build a new stadium. ... All you have to do is look at the attendance figures in Cleveland, in Baltimore. ... The new stadiums bring you a big big boost in terms of economic development and attendance."

Wilpon and Doubleday are not close, according to owners of other teams, and Wilpon has a larger role in the team's day-to-day operation. Still, each owns 50 percent of the team.

Wilpon did not want to respond, Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said Thursday.