Prudential Center

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Template:Future arena

This article is about the sports arena in Newark, New Jersey. For the Boston, Massachusetts complex, see Prudential Tower.
Prudential Center
"The Rock"
File:Prudential Center Exterior.png
Architect's rendition of Prudential Center.
Map
LocationNewark, New Jersey
OwnerCity of Newark
OperatorAnschutz Entertainment Group
Capacity17,500 (Soccer)
17,615 (Hockey)
18,500 (Basketball)
19,500 (Concerts)[1]
Construction
Broke groundOctober 3, 2005
OpenedOctober 25 2007 (scheduled)
ArchitectHOK Sport
Morris Adjmi Architects (Exterior)
Tenants
New Jersey Devils (NHL) (2007-present)
New Jersey Ironmen (MISL) (2007-present)
Seton Hall Pirates Men's Basketball (NCAA) (2007-present)

The Prudential Center (nicknamed The Rock[2]) is an 19,500-seat multi-purpose arena in downtown Newark, New Jersey, designed by HOK Sport with the exterior designed by Morris Adjmi Architects. It is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. The arena will also be home to the New Jersey Ironmen, a Major Indoor Soccer League expansion team which will begin play in the 2007-08 MISL season, as well as the Seton Hall University Men's Basketball team, and will be available for selected Seton Hall Women's basketball games as well. [3]

The arena is located a couple of blocks from Newark Penn Station in downtown Newark. A new park named Triangle Park will connect the train station to the arena, making it easily accessible via New Jersey Transit, PATH, Newark Light Rail, and Amtrak.

The Prudential Center is the first major league sports venue to be built in the New York City metropolitan area since the Brendan Byrne Arena, the Devils' former home, opened in 1981. The arena will play an important role in the revitalization of Newark.[4]

History

Groundbreaking for the arena began on October 3, 2005.

On Tuesday, January 24, 2006, the Devils submitted a guarantee in writing that the team will contribute $100 million to the arena, [5] one day after the city and state threatened to cancel the project. [6]

The arena was originally intended to be the home of the New Jersey Nets, but YankeeNets has since sold the team and the Nets are expected to move to Brooklyn, New York. With their impending relocation, Continental Airlines Arena was planned for demolition to make room for the Meadowlands Xanadu project. However, the site for the Xanadu project has been moved to another area of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, and the New Jersey Nets have extended their lease at the Meadowlands through at least 2010[7], due to complications involving the team's proposed move to Brooklyn's Barclays Center. This will leave two arenas in New Jersey competing with each other to book concerts and family shows. State officials, though, have called for the Continental Airlines Arena to close once the Prudential Center opens. Although the Nets extended their lease at the Continental Airlines Arena, Devils ownership has offered a public invitation for the NBA team to be a tenant in Newark. A Nets' move to Newark does not seem likely, unless the planned relocation to Brooklyn ultimately fails.

The arena will open on October 25 2007 with a series of 10 concerts by New Jersey rock group Bon Jovi, featuring a star-studded lineup of opening acts, including Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Daughtry, The All-American Rejects and New Jersey's own My Chemical Romance.[8] The first two concerts will be followed by the first Devils home game on October 27 against the Ottawa Senators, who were the Devils' last opponent at Continental Airlines Arena.[9]

The arena will play host to UFC 78 on November 17, 2007.

In November 2007, the Center will host the semifinals and finals of college basketball's Legends Classic.[10]

Features

Interior of the Center prior to the Bon Jovi concert

The Prudential Center, built through 2006 and 2007, is the first new arena to be built in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area in more than 25 years. Conveniently located only 2 blocks from Newark Penn Station, the building is one of the most easily accessible arenas in the country via NJ Transit, PATH, and Amtrak through Newark's Penn Station. Highways surrounding the arena include I-280, I-78, New Jersey Turnpike, Rt. 1&9, Rt. 21, Rt. 22, and the Garden State Parkway.[11]

Fans approaching the arena through Triangle Park will be presented with a view of the arena's externally mounted 4,800 square foot LED screen, one of the largest in the world.[12] Along the arena's east side Mulberry Street entrance are two large "entrance cylinders", the arena's most prominent exterior feature.[4] The interior Grand Concourse provides views of downtown Newark on the Edison Street and Mulberry Street sides through large windows. Accessible from the Grand Concourse is the Devils' new 2,600 square foot Team Store.[12] The Prudential Center will feature separate concourses for the lower and upper levels.

As the newest facility to be used in the NHL, the Prudential Center will have feature a large array of amenities.[4] The rink area will feature four LED ribbons and an eight-sided scoreboard equipped with high-definition video screens.[12] The 78 luxury suites available[4] will be the largest in North America.[4] Personal dining, WiFi and high-definition televisions are some of the many conveniences available in luxury suites.[4] In the lower bowl are 2,300 black Club seats in three center sections on either side of the ice.[12] Club seat and season ticket holders will have access to a 350-seat restaurant with views of the rink.[12] Additionally, the Goal Bar, located at Suite Level One will offer Club and Goal Bar seat holders terrace-style seating in a bar environment.[12] Club seat holders will also have access to the Fire and Ice Lounges, modern themed private bars intended to attract pre-game and post-game crowds.[4]

Attached to the Prudential Center will be the Devils' corporate offices and practice rink, complete with its own locker rooms. This will make the Prudential Center one of only two NHL arenas with a practice rink and the only one with dual locker rooms and practice facilities.[13]

Naming rights

Prudential Financial purchased the naming rights in January 2007 for $105.3 million over 20 years, opting to call the arena the Prudential Center, though this is also the name of numerous office complexes around the country, notably in Boston, Massachusetts. Arena press releases have begun to refer to the Prudential Center as "The Rock" after Prudential's corporate logo.[2]

Gallery

  • View of Mulberry Street in Newark from inside the staircase
    View of Mulberry Street in Newark from inside the staircase
  • Shot of the mural painted on the wall of the concourse, featuring Martin Brodeur
    Shot of the mural painted on the wall of the concourse, featuring Martin Brodeur
  • Inside of the luxury suites
    Inside of the luxury suites

References

  1. ^ "Prudential Center :: Highlights".
  2. ^ a b Matt Sweeney (2007-05-23). "Seton Hall Moves to the Rock". Seton Hall University. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  3. ^ Licata, Chris (2007-09-05). "New Jersey's Finest: The Devils Set to Move into New Home". TicketNews.com. Retrieved 2007-09-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Prudential Center Promotional Video". New Jersey Devils Official Website. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  5. ^ Brennan, John (2006-01-25). "Devils give $100 million guarantee for Newark arena". The Record. Retrieved 2007-09-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Associated Press (2006-01-23). "Newark sets deadline for letter of credit from Devils". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2007-09-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ Sandomir, Richard (2006-09-17). "With an Eye Toward New Brooklyn Arena, Nets Extend Lease in New Jersey". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Bon Jovi to Open Prudential Center in Newark". New Jersey Devils' Official Website. 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2007-09-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "New Jersey Devils - Schedule (Home Games)". New Jersey Devils' Official Website. Retrieved 2007-09-09.
  10. ^ Associated Press (2007-06-12). "NJ's Prudential Center to host UT, college hoops tourney". KXAN.com. Retrieved 2007-09-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Prudential Center :: Location".
  12. ^ a b c d e f "Prudential Center Brochure". New Jersey Devils' Official Website. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  13. ^ "Prudential Center's Practice Rink". New Jersey Devils' Official Website. 2007-08-31. Retrieved 2007-09-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

See also

External links

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