The ask is small, and the decision it sets up is big.
The Meadowlands Chamber and the Meadowlands 2040 Foundation have completed the second of three state-funded research and development projects to establish the viability of a national-scale convention center at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, allowing them to detail a request for $2.7 million to $3.8 million to fund a state-supervised Path to Authorization.
That’s the business plan, financing strategy and engineering, environmental and operational reviews the governor and the Legislature would need to decide whether to build a convention center at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
Backers stress the money isn’t a commitment to build. It’s a commitment to decide.
Meadowlands Chamber CEO Jim Kirkos, long the project’s biggest backer, said the opportunity is great.
“New Jersey has an extraordinary opportunity to establish a major convention destination in one of the country’s most valuable business and tourism markets,” he said. “The Meadowlands already attracts millions of visitors for sports, entertainment and shopping.
“A convention center would bring an entirely new segment of business to the region and generate economic activity throughout the year. With the market opportunity now established, the state is in a strong position to take the next step toward realizing the project’s potential.”
Here are 10 other things to know:
10. What it would be
The center would rise on the former Meadowlands Arena site in East Rutherford, with approximately 460,000 square feet of exhibition, meeting and ballroom space. The site plan unveiled in April shows:
- a 300,000-square-foot exhibit hall that can split into three;
- a 60,000-square-foot ballroom, the largest in the state;
- 100,000 square feet of meeting space with 75 breakout rooms;
- a multipurpose arena;
- a 1,000-room headquarters hotel, now envisioned as privately financed.
9. The numbers
The development is estimated at $3.8 billion to $4.25 billion, including a headquarters hotel that is expected to be financed through a public-private partnership. Backers project:
- 5,000 union construction jobs;
- more than 3,700 permanent jobs;
- events on as many as 313 days a year;
- 2 million annual visitors;
- $30.4 billion in long-term economic activity.
8. The homework is done
The two-year Scoping Assessment, conducted by a team of convention industry, architectural, engineering, financial and development consultants, is complete. It concludes the site can hold a facility that meets a real market need: conventions, exhibitions, corporate meetings and sporting events the region can’t currently host. Last week, the Chamber and Axiom Communications, the lead consultant coordinating the project, briefed public officials and business and labor leaders on the findings.
7. Planners say they’d come
A nationwide survey of meeting and convention planners, conducted by the research firm Cygnal, found that 80% would consider booking an event at the facility and 45% would be very likely to. Ninety percent were already familiar with the Meadowlands. Planners rated it 65-13 favorable, in the range of established Northeast destinations such as Boston and Baltimore.
6. Cost is the selling point
Cost is the top factor in site selection, named by 53% of planners as a top priority. The Meadowlands beat Manhattan on cost (71-9), on ease of getting attendees there (56-16) and on appeal (49-25). The building targets mid-size events of 2,000 or more people, the shows that get priced out of New York.
5. It’s not just conventions
The arena is built for youth and amateur sports: volleyball, basketball, wrestling and cheerleading tournaments that bring families in from out of town. In April, backers said mixing weekend
tournaments with weekday trade shows is what keeps the building busy enough to avoid an annual operating subsidy.
4. It plugs into what’s already there
The plan calls for walkways into American Dream, so convention-goers can find dinner and a night out without crossing the Hudson. April’s site plan also showed a pedestrian bridge over Route 120 to the train station, a consolidated rideshare lot and a landscaped “Meadows Walk” modeled similar pedestrian-access promenades at major attractions.
3. Traffic improves whether or not center is built
The state required that its early seed money pay for a traffic and access study, whether or not the center is ever built. Engineering firm WSP outlined a seven-step package: better wayfinding, lane and ramp changes, a relocated rideshare zone and the pedestrian overpass. Backers said in April that it could cut up to 10 minutes per person off exit times on big event days. Axiom President Ron Simoncini said the Giants and Jets both win.
“The teams will be delighted that our Scoping Assessment included a Transportation Master Plan for the complex outlining $91 million of ingress and egress mobility improvements that will improve the flow of traffic around the stadium and the entire complex.” he said. “We committed to ensuring that the development of the convention center would not create a negative impact for existing venues, but in fact would be a net positive.”
2. Atlantic City has concerns
Some Atlantic City leaders worry a North Jersey center would pull business from their own. Backers say the two serve different markets (see story), and that the real competition is Manhattan. In the same survey, planners rated Atlantic City 69-12 favorable, slightly ahead of the Meadowlands.
1. It’s been a long road, and the state decides what’s next
Jim Kirkos, CEO of the Meadowlands Chamber, has been pushing the idea for more than a decade. State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) helped secure the seed money for site planning, traffic studies and market analysis. He is a huge supporter.
If the state funds the next phase, a work group appointed by the governor would oversee it, with the N.J. Economic Development Authority and the N.J. Sports and Exposition Authority taking part. A potential ribbon-cutting would be in 2030 — or later.
