In the great-news-for-Newark department, nj.com has just broken the story that the NCAA will bring the 2011 East Regionals of the men’s basketball tournament to Prudential Center. Why is this good?
It’s a dagger aimed straight at the heart of the Izod Center, the Rock’s, and by extension, Newark’s major competitor in drawing tourists, families and crowds at large. With World Wrestling Entertainment finally getting on the Prudential Center bandwagon by hosting October 4th’s Pay-Per-View event, this is one more step to officially renaming the Izod Center “Obsolete Arena.” Granted, it wouldn’t make much sense for the East Regionals to take place at the Meadowlands anyway since no collegiate team calls it home, but it boosts the Rock’s profile nevertheless.
The East Regionals probably could have just as easily been held at Madison Square Garden, so it’s especially gratifying to see Brick City get the nod over the Big Apple. While a lot of people may moan that northern New Jersey should not be viewed as an extra borough of New York, the fact of the matter is that if Newark is ever going to thrive again, that’s exactly the perception that needs to be held. The tournament is arguably the biggest cumulative annual sporting event, what with office pools, fridge grids, bracketology (I think that’s a real word word now. Thanks, ESPN.), and a few weeks of Cinderella stories, stars-in-the-making, buzzer-beaters, and heart-stopping action. It’s exactly the kind of event to get people flocking from Penn Station to the arena and neighborhood bars. For Newark to have the national spotlight shining its direction is about as good as it gets.
September 24th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Hopefully every building on Edison Street will be occupied with new restaurants by March 2011.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Great post and absolutely right. It makes the Russian potential investment in the Nets and their Brooklyn ambitions look even more insane. Interesting point about Newark needing to be seen as an extra borough of New York in order to thrive. Nice post.
September 24th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
This is huge for NEwark. It will bring in thousands of people to the city. The bars and restaurants will be packed. Hopefully some of the hotels in the city will be used instead of them always staying in NY. No reason they cant stay at Robert Treat, or by Penn St. If this is the case, then it is even bigger. Im excited!!
September 24th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
The Hilton(and perhaps Hampton Inn in Harrison) will service the NCAA staff better than the Robert Treat. Still this is big news and hopefully this will spur further, much-need development around the Rock before March 2011. Like Donny said, restaurants on Edison.
September 25th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I don’t think that Newark needs to be viewed as an additional borough in order to thrive. I just think that Newark needs to realize that it is in direct competition with New York City’s versions of its amenities. Jersey City and Bergen County are all the 6th and 7th Boroughs that NYC needs. Newark is New Jersey’s City.
September 26th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
WOW!!! GREAT!
September 26th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
I also have to disagree about viewing Newark as an additional borough of NY. NY hates Newark, and they do their best to keep Newark down. They do this because they’re afraid if more people start going to and spending money in Newark, that will mean less revenue for NY. Newark should not bow down to any other city.
September 27th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Also, the empty lot at the corner of Mulberry Street and Lafayette Street would be an ideal location for a few a TGIF Friday’s type chain with a full bar.
September 29th, 2009 at 10:30 am
beatman10, New York keeps Newark down? Okay. Whatever you say. As someone who has lived in New York, let me explain to you the big difference between “keeping Newark down” as you put it, and not caring about Newark. Brick City isn’t even on the Big Apple’s radar and no one in Manhattan is afraid of Newark stealing away New York City dollars.
Donny, from what I hear (and granted, some of it is pseudo-reliable sources, some just rumors and hearsay), the lot at the corner of Mulberry and Lafayette is supposed to be part of the parking complex that currently resides across from the arena. The supposed plan is that Triangle Park will replace the current parking situation across from the Rock, which will shift to the lot you mentioned. To my knowledge, the hold-up is red tape associated with land swapping, a big issue being the relocation of the tenants in the Newark Warehouse Co. building that sits squarely in the middle of the proposed Triangle Park. Just to reiterate, I’m not stating this as fact, as I’m not close to any of these negotiations, but am simply relaying some of the prevailing notions I hear around town.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Quade, while I agree with you that average normal people in NYC probably have very little notion that Newark exists beyond being an additional airport, the power structure of the city itself has long been working to ensure that no threat exists in NJ to draw the focus of our state’s tax dollars away from supporting it. NY’s media has led the way in portraying Newark as being the worst place in the world. Obviously, NJians are starting to realize that this portrayal isn’t entirely accurate, but its a slow going. NY has also systematically destroyed Newark’s media outlets, from the removal of all our television stations to the steady outflow of our radio stations. Is that just the free market at work? Well maybe. But think of it this way: Why didn’t any of NJ’s politicians made a real honest to goodness fuss about it at the time? Sure they speak up about the Giants and Jets names, but losing TV stations and media outlets? That should have been something our state government would have done something about and didn’t. Why? Call me a conspiracy nut if you want, but I’d be willing to bet that many of our dedicated politicians are very much beholden to very wealthy interests on the East side of the Hudson.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
newarkdevil5, I concede the point about losing the media outlets. I’m not sure if it’s a conscience effort by any person, body or organization, but it did happen, and that’s not doing Newark any favors.
But before you jump on the New York media for holding Newark down, you need to look at the one media outlet that has repeatedly pressed its foot across the city’s throat, the Star Ledger, nee Newark Star Ledger. New Jersey’s newspaper effortlessly sensationalizes the violence of the city (yes, it’s there, and yes, sometimes it merits the front page), yet there is hardly a time when the rag has an equally prominent article/feature on anything positive in the city. I’ve ranted about it before, so there’s no need to do so again, so in summation, before any of us try to blast the Big Apple’s media, we need to clean up our own backyard of the muckrakers.
September 29th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Wow, go figure I miss a post and miss one of my favorite arguements.
Yes NY has a vested interest in squashing any competition, after all a low cost alternative drives up vacacies in office space, residential and manufacturing sites. Just take a look at how the Fulton fish market deal went down. NJ, especially Bergen County and the GW bridge benifited from being the low cost alternative to moving west or north of NYC. NY may be the only state with a harsher tax climate than NJs and we have pretty much played that game for half a century. Newark’s reputation and perception by NYers has just as much to do with NJ as it does with NY. Newark is an easy target and we can digress into volumes of post that will not change that fact. Having the tournament is huge but Hotels, QUALITY HOTELS are a must (I have alot of resentment towards the treat and how it is run, and I say this as a man that had his wedding party stay there). Events such as the tournment, getting the NHL allstar game ect are all boosters if you have something to show.
October 11th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
This is one of the best pieces of news to come from the Rock in a long while. Now that the WWE has finally broken the seal, maybe we’ll see more of them. If only they can bring the UFC back for some more events, and obviously, get more music acts booked, and the change in downtown will take off.