Buzzer sounds on Izod Center: Arena expected to close after years of decline
JANUARY 14, 2015, 2:55 PM Â Â LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015, 1:27 AM
BY JOHN BRENNAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
The Christie administration wants to close the Izod Center, which has been a key component of the Meadowlands Sports Complex for 34 years, perhaps as soon as the end of this month.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority board will be asked at its monthly meeting Thursday to approve a plan that would shutter the 18,000-seat arena by the end of March. The date would be moved up if acts booked there for February and March can be relocated to the Prudential Center in Newark.
Two influential Bergen County Democrats — state Sens. Paul Sarlo and Loretta Weinberg — were harshly critical of the proposal.
The facility, which since 2007 has borne the name of the clothing maker Izod, lost its sports tenants – the Devils of the NHL, Seton Hall University basketball and the Nets NBA franchise – between 2007 and 2010. Only a handful of concerts have been held at the arena in the past two years, although three dozen schools held graduation ceremonies there last spring and the arena still attracts family oriented holiday shows.
Wayne Hasenbalg, the president of the sports authority, said the decision, though difficult, was a matter of economics and the ongoing transformation of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, highlighted by the American Dream entertainment and retail project.
“Just about everyone in New Jersey and the region has great memories of big-name concerts, basketball or hockey games or other family entertainment at the arena,” said Hasenbalg, who grew up in Oakland.
Former Mayor Sharpe James somehow was able to get funding for The Rock in Newark which spelled doom for Byrne / Izod arena.
I’ve been to The Rock twice…parking is a pain in the neck. I prefer driving to East Rutherford to be honest.
Without regular basketball, it really only leaves concerts. Concerts are more sporadic, and only certain big artists can sell 18,000 tickets a show. No arena can survive unless it’s the regular venue of a major sports franchise.
I went to lots of shows in there, and many great tailgate sessions in that parking lot. The acoustics are actually horrible, but I have fond memories regardless.
Life goes on.