The Joint Venture Submits Preliminary Master Plan to NJSEA Including Location and Footprint of Stadium, At-Grade Plazas, Reconfigured Parking Lots, Fan Amenities, State-of-the-art Technology and More
East Rutherford, NJ –Jets Development LLC and Giants Stadium LLC today jointly submitted a preliminary Master Site Plan for the New Meadowlands Stadium and its surroundings to the New Jersey Sports Authority. Designed from a fan perspective, the new stadium and its surroundings will be one of the most innovative and memorable spectator environments in professional sports.
New Jersey Acting Governor Richard Codey, New York Jets Owner Woody Johnson and President Jay Cross, New York Giants Chief Operating Officer John Mara and Treasurer Jonathan Tisch and his sister Laurie Tisch, NJSEA Chairman Carl Goldberg, and New Jersey Commissioner of the Department of Transportation Jack Lettiere attended the announcement.
Also in attendance were NJSEA CEO George Zoffinger and NJSEA board members Ray Bateman, Armando Fontoura, Joseph Forgione, Anthony Scardino Jr., Marvin Schmelzer; Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney; and New Jersey State Senator Paul Sarlo.
The preliminary Master Plan includes:
– The location, footprint and enhanced fan experience of the New Meadowlands Stadium – With a footprint of 700,000 square feet located south of the North Access Road and the Racetrack, the 81,000 seat stadium will include an atrium consisting of a Football Hall of Fame, Team Stores, Football Themed Dining, and Club/Banquet and Conference space.
– Enhanced Fan Amenities
– Combining an intimate seating bowl with uncompromised sightlines, cutting edge scoreboards, sound systems, electronic signage and lighting, the stadium will redefine game day with football-centric attractions designed to maximize the fan experience in a setting that can be transformed overnight to meet the needs of each team.– Newly configured parking lots; easier access to parking through better designed ingress and egress traffic patterns and onsite road improvements – Parking lots will radiate around the stadium with more direct, easier access through road circulation improvements, the introduction of inner and middle loop road systems and separate areas for permit and non-permit parking.
– An enhanced tailgating experience including new tailgating zones linked to the stadium through pedestrian connections – Tailgate zones linked to the stadium by pedestrian walkways will include enhanced merchandise, food and beverage operations, restroom facilities and entertainment.
– A 520,000 square foot Ancillary Component to the south of the stadium – The plan envisions the future integration of a facility offering the best of sports, entertainment, retail, sports medicine, health & fitness, and sponsorship and broadcast opportunities. When constructed, the Ancillary Component will offer something for every type of fan 365 days a year.
– A brand new rail facility – Ideally situated relative to the new Meadowlands Stadium, Racetrack, Xanadu and the Ancillary Component, the new NJ Transit station will serve thousands of fans traveling to the Meadowlands on game days and throughout the year.
– Xanadu –The site plan offers potential ways to create great synergy between the stadium and the new Xanadu entertainment, sports, leisure and shopping complex, now rising in close proximity to the stadium site, “This entire agreement is truly a win for New Jersey – for our residents and for the future of sports in our state. It will anchor the overall revitalization of the Meadowlands, transforming it into a world-class stadium, a tailgating oasis, a retail mecca and a dining destination, all of which will be connected by a state of the art transit hub,” said Acting Governor of New Jersey, Richard Codey. “These plans will create thousands of new jobs, fuel the economy, support the community and provide fans with something to cheer about. New Jersey deserves nothing less and we are proud to call the Jets and the Giants our home teams, today, and for years to come.”
“Today is an exciting day for our team and for our fans,� said Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets. “I want to thank Governor Codey for his outstanding leadership and tireless efforts to bring us all together to create the greatest sports and entertainment facility in the nation. Over the past few months, we have made significant strides. We are truly excited with the progress we have made and we can’t wait to move into our new home.�
“We are very grateful to Governor Codey for his leadership throughout this process. We also wish to thank Carl Goldberg and Paul Fader for all of their hard work on this project,� said New York Giants Chief Operating Officer, John Mara. “We believe that our partnership with the Jets will produce the premier stadium in the NFL, one that will be enjoyed by Giants and Jets fans and the people of this region for many years.�
“One of the greatest components of the new sports and entertainment complex will be the rail access available to our fans,� said New York Jets President Jay Cross. “We want to commend Governor Codey and the NJSEA for working so hard to develop a new NJ Transit rail connection directly to the Meadowlands. It will transform the game day experience for nearly 10,000 of our fans each game and facilitate travel to and from the stadium year-round.�
Steve Tisch, Executive Vice President of the Giants, said, “The fact that the Jets and the Giants have worked on this together means that the Stadium will be a true home to both teams and their respective fans. We have taken advantage of the latest technology that exists to create a environment that can be quickly transformed from Big Blue to Gang Green and in doing so have captured a strong home field advantage for both teams. It’s truly unique in the NFL and indeed in the world of spectator sports, and we are very proud of the innovation.�
“It has been a real pleasure to observe both franchises work together as true partners,� said NJSEA President Carl Goldberg. “Over the past two months, since the announcement of this joint venture, both teams have succeeded in working closely and diligently with one another to create a product that represents not only their joint objectives but what will become our nation’s greatest sports and entertainment complex.�
Just over two months ago, on September 29, 2005, the Jets and Giants agreed to an historic 50-50 partnership to build a new stadium next door to the existing Giants stadium that both teams will call home. Since then, the Jets and the Giants have worked closely together to create plans for the NFL’s premier sports and entertainment destination in the nation.
The preliminary Master Site Plan seeks to create an atmosphere that embraces more than just game day attractions; it envisions a 365 days a year sports and entertainment destination for visitors from near and far.
A final Master Plan will be submitted to the NJSEA in 2006. Construction of the stadium is expected to begin in 2007 and the New Meadowlands Stadium will open for the 2010 football season.
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