Business & Tech
Assembly Speaker Prieto on Izod Closing: 'The [Christie] administration, authority haven't done enough to make ... arena a top attraction.'
Prieto: "The plan to close the Izod Center shows a disappointing lack of creative vision by the Christie administration and the authority."
Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen) does not agree with the Christie administration’s decision to close the Izod Center arena in the meadowlands, citing it “brings jobs and economic activity to the Meadowlands, and closing it ... will hurt workers and efforts to catch up with the national [job] recovery.”
“New Jersey has long lagged behind the nation when it comes to economic growth and unemployment,” added Prieto. “We shouldn’t be adding to that problem with bad decisions.”
After operating for 34 years, the Christie administration is seeking to close the 18,000-seat arena due to loss of revenues from competition, departure of sports teams like NHL’s Devils and NBA’s Nets, and disruption while “the neighboring American Dream project picks up over the next 18 months,” NorthJersey.com reported.
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“The Izod Center should a focal point of efforts to attract events, jobs and development to Meadowlands communities,” Prieto said. “Competition is indeed a factor, but my sense is the administration and authority haven’t done enough to make this arena a top attraction. I haven’t seen the foresight and creative thinking needed to promote this building properly.”
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority board will be asked to approve a plan Thursday that would close the stadium by the end of March, though it could close sooner if events booked for February and March can be relocated to Newark’s Prudential Center.
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“Once this building is closed, it will only be harder to reopen,” Prieto said. “If Nassau County can keep the Nassau Coliseum open with innovative ideas, then the state of New Jersey should be able to do the same, if not better.”
“I will be exploring what legislative remedies may exist to save these jobs and this key driver of economic activity.”
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