Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Meadowlands Arena’s Future in Question as Convention Center Proposed
For over a decade following its closure, the formerly renowned Meadowlands Arena, a prominent sports and concert venue, remains largely unused on the Hackensack River banks, despite the emergence of new developments in the vicinity. This iconic New Jersey site, once known as the Brendan Byrne Arena, Continental Airlines Arena, and IZOD Center, could see new life as local leaders propose a major convention center development.
Initially, MetLife Stadium replaced the older Giants Stadium nearby in 2010. Subsequently, the American Dream megamall opened in 2019. However, the arena, synonymous with celebrated events under names like Brendan Byrne, Continental, and IZOD Center, has stayed stagnant since the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority’s 2015 decision to cease operations.
Local Leaders Advocate for New Convention Center
This dormancy may be nearing its end. Business figures in the area, including the Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce, are pushing for the demolition of the 20,000-seat arena to pave the way for a substantial convention center. Plans include exhibition halls, meeting rooms, and banquet facilities.
Jim Kirkos, president and CEO of the Meadowlands Chamber, emphasizes the potential regional benefits. He states the proposed $1.6 billion complex could maintain high occupancy rates throughout the year, potentially generating up to $30 billion over three decades, according to an economic impact assessment by a chamber affiliate.
Kirkos expressed enthusiasm about these projections. “The potential economic advantages of constructing this facility, as envisioned, are too significant to disregard,” he remarked in a recent phone interview. “Currently, we have a void, as the arena contributes no economic value.”
A Storied Past: From Springsteen to Sports Championships
Originally constructed to house the New Jersey Devils and the New Jersey Nets, the arena inaugurated on July 2, 1981, with a series of Bruce Springsteen concerts, a quintessential New Jersey introduction.
Reflecting on the inaugural show, Bruce Springsteen reportedly told Rolling Stone, “That was the best show ever. We couldn’t hear each other onstage. I felt like the Beatles.”
Subsequently, the arena witnessed numerous memorable occasions, including three Stanley Cup victories and countless concerts that resonated throughout the area, built on marshland.
Matt Lucciano, a 62-year-old surveyor from East Hanover, commented on the arena’s legacy. “It was a great venue,” he stated on Thursday.
“Perhaps not the most glamorous, but the venue itself was secondary to the events it hosted,” he added, expressing disappointment at its current state.
“Every time I pass by, I have to avert my eyes because it’s disheartening to see a place that once hosted globally renowned performers in such disrepair,” he lamented. “While I cherish many memories there, I support its removal and replacement with something functional and beneficial.”
Current Arena Status: Beyond Abandonment
Despite its outward appearance, the arena, owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, is not entirely inactive.
Authority representatives indicated that the venue is presently utilized as a temporary studio for popular television productions like “The Walking Dead,” “The Enemy Within,” and “The Equalizer,” among others.
Additionally, the spacious interior serves as a rehearsal space for prominent musicians including Drake, Dua Lipa, Roger Waters, and Justin Timberlake, allowing them to refine their performances before tours.
Furthermore, some state agencies, such as the New Jersey State Police, maintain operations within the building. It is also slated to serve as a staging area for the 2026 World Cup, with the final match scheduled in East Rutherford in July of that year.
Officials stated these activities currently render the 44-year-old arena “revenue neutral.”
Convention Center Proposal: A Significant Economic Engine
However, Kirkos contends that the revenue generated is minimal compared to the potential of a large-scale convention center.
The proposed 460,000-square-foot center would feature 300,000 square feet of adaptable space for exhibitions or sporting events, 100,000 square feet for meetings, and 60,000 square feet of banquet facilities capable of accommodating up to 2,500 attendees, according to the impact study.
Kirkos projects that a Meadowlands Convention Center could host 250 to 300 “event days” annually, encompassing conferences, trade shows, graduations, and sporting competitions.
He also points out a deficiency in convention space in North Jersey, estimating a shortage of 2 to 3 million square feet relative to the region’s population.
The economic study further suggests the development of 4,500 hotel rooms, including 1,000 within an attached hotel.
Collectively, these plans aim to establish the convention center as a prime destination, generating over $3.5 billion in tax revenue, $30 billion in total new economic activity, and creating approximately 6,000 permanent jobs, according to proponents.
Project Timeline and Political Support
Initially, organizers aimed for completion by the World Cup final, but this timeline has been revised, Kirkos clarified.
He expresses hope for swift progress post-World Cup, with demolition of the existing arena and commencement of construction on the new facility, ideally completed by 2028.
The state’s financial commitment to this multi-billion dollar project remains uncertain.
The proposal has garnered support from key figures such as New Jersey State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Paul Sarlo and Governor Phil Murphy, who described the concept as “very attractive” in 2023, as reported by ROI-NJ.
However, the stance of the next governor, succeeding the term-limited Murphy in January, remains unknown.
Neither Governor Murphy nor Senator Sarlo provided comments when requested this week.
Next Steps: Scoping Assessment Underway
Despite the uncertainties, Kirkos remains optimistic and is securing funding for a $4 million scoping assessment, identified as the immediate next phase.
“This comprehensive assessment will serve as a complete business plan, providing the incoming governor with all necessary details for informed decision-making,” he explained.
Concluding, Kirkos emphasizes the project’s long-term value. “No other project in New Jersey currently offers comparable economic benefits,” he asserted. “Can we afford not to pursue this?”