Good News out of Newark!!

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1086727169295830.xml

Judge rejects petitions seeking referendum on arena
The Associated Press
6/8/2004, 4:32 p.m. ET


NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A state judge on Tuesday said city officials acted properly in rejecting petitions seeking a referendum on a plan to build a downtown hockey arena, according to a referendum supporter.

Organizers plan to appeal the decision of Superior Court Judge Donald S. Goldman, said Joseph Monteiro, an aide to city Councilman Luis Quintana.

"We are not against an arena, or the idea of an arena," Monteiro said. The referendum would give voters a voice and encourage the administration of Mayor Sharpe James to explain why it wants an arena, he said.

The New Jersey Devils are seeking a new home, claiming that Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford is outdated...................

..... because it is.

Good.

It's not a "claim" that the CAA is outdated. It's the truth. An outdated arena that's way too hard to get in and out of.

It was an uphill battle for a new arena before the Nets decided to pack their bags and move across the river. Without a legitimate second tenant - indoor soccer teams come and go and can hardly be considered legitimate - I still don't see it happening. Good luck though.

It was an uphill battle for a new arena before the Nets decided to pack their bags and move across the river.

It was an uphill battle before that when the Nets used to be so bad, now they're so good and they're leaving town.

I think if the appeal is rejected, it might be time for the Devils to seek other options. Obviously, they're going to look around in North Jersey first, but there is already 3 teams less than 100 miles from the CAA.

What other areas are available in North Jersey. I've been through Newark and up and down the NJ Turnpike and I find it very congested, unless they want to be within a mile or two of the white silos.

It was an uphill battle before that when the Nets used to be so bad, now they're so good and they're leaving town.

I think if the appeal is rejected, it might be time for the Devils to seek other options. Obviously, they're going to look around in North Jersey first, but there is already 3 teams less than 100 miles from the CAA.

What other areas are available in North Jersey. I've been through Newark and up and down the NJ Turnpike and I find it very congested, unless they want to be within a mile or two of the white silos.

Other options? Remaining at the Meadowlands and building a new arena there? It's the best option after Newark.

Newark will happen though. I have no doubts.

I think if the appeal is rejected, it might be time for the Devils to seek other options...
If the appeal is rejected, the Devils will have an arena. The appeal is to get a referendum on the ballot which would allow the citizens of Newark to decide if an arena should be built.

It should be pointed out that Newark's part of the financing for the arena is from the renegotiation of the land lease for Newark Liberty International Airport. There will not be a tax increase on the taxpayers in Newark to pay for the building of an arena. That is the reason the judge turned down the appeal.

It should further be pointed out that the Devils are roughly among the upper third in revenues generated in the NHL despite playing within 100 miles of three other teams. It is highly unlikely that the team would be moved to another region.

It would be interesting to see an Arena in a semi-suburben setting in Bergen county. Hackensack comes to mind.

It would be interesting to see an Arena in a semi-suburben setting in Bergen county. Hackensack comes to mind.

I think we'd get the real fans then, but I'm not sure we'd draw the businesses in large enough numbers. Plus Hackensack doesn't appeal to me all that much.
Besides, would they really want all those traffic problems? They have enough things to deal with right now. Also, where would the money for the arena come from?

The judge turned it down because the taxpayers have to up the ante?


I'm glad I don't live in Newark...

I'm glad I don't live in Newark...So is Newark.

I always thought the Hoboken arena that Dr. McMullen had in mind would have been nice, but I understand that the infrastucture there (ie. city streets and parking) just weren't gonna be able to handle it. Newark seems like a good fit to me. I live in central NJ, so driving up to CAA is a huge pain. Exit 7 to 16W just ain't fun on a Tuesday night. Assuming Newark goes though, all I have to do is hop on a train for around $7 round trip (less than CAA parking and TPK tolls). Thats something I look forward too.

Saw an article tonight in the July issue of Car and Driver which focused on all the car thieves stealing the halogen bulbs and power adapter cases out of recent Nissan Maxima's in Newark. The title had something to do with stealing the blue out of your eyes. Guess its become quite the rage there. 30 seconds to a minute can net $1100 off one car alone. Local car rental places had to discontinue renting Altima's for similar reasons.

Doesn't surprise me.

I own a Nissan Maxima, and was recently received a notice to take my car to the dealership, where they installed something that made it so my lights could not be stolen.

Whatever they did would have cost $900, but Nissan didn't charge :handclap: .

First of all, the referendum was an attempt by OPPONENTS of the Arena to delay the process by having a referendum on it and it was rejected by the judge. These opponents to the arena are appealing that decision, meaning that the ruling was in favor of the city's plan to go ahead with the arena sans referendum and they are trying to get someone to overturn that ruling.

Second of all, the money is coming from the Port Authority's lease renegotiation with the city of Newark and it is spaced out over 30 years. None of it is coming from taxpayer money.

Third of all, the arena is going to be within striking distance of 280, 21, the Turnpike, 1&9, 27, 78, and 22 not to mention the trains and buses. There is no other city in New Jersey with that kind of access.

Fourth of all, I don't know what the most recent statistics are, but as of two years ago, car theft in Newark had dropped by 70% from 1989 levels. Most car theft involves the Port of Newark which brings in the most cars on the East Coast and is nowhere near downtown or the arena area.

Fifth of all, the Devils have a new owner with deep pockets who is a fan of the team and from New Jersey. He has been adamant about wanting a Newark Arena.

Sixth of all, to have of all people an Islander fan, a team that has been the single major tenant in their arena since the Nets moved out in the 70s (essentially since the team started) to say that they don't think the arena will happen without a second tenant is singularly laughable.

I'm posting two pictures: one a map I made with routes to the arena district in Newark by way of various highways and the other a picture of downtown Newark, labeled. The arena area is labeled on the far right as "Proposed Nets Devils Sports Arena." Its a little dated, but the location is the same.

http://www.njdevs.com/album/albums/userpics/10045/Arena-Route-Map.JPG
http://www.njdevs.com/album/albums/userpics/10045/Newark%20Downtown.JPG

NewarkDevil,
I am constanly checking your posts on njdevs.com and really enjoy your updates. I have never signed up for posting on that board but check it daily, keep up the good work!

walking distance to the arena baby!!!! get to see my wings cream the hell outta the devils! :yo:

Sixth of all, to have of all people an Islander fan, a team that has been the single major tenant in their arena since the Nets moved out in the 70s (essentially since the team started) to say that they don't think the arena will happen without a second tenant is singularly laughable.

Hey, don't take it personal.. I have been living in NJ my whole life, and if the Devils had moved to jersey about 8 years earlier, when I first started following hockey, I too would probably be a Devils fan. They didn't, and i'm not, but that doesn't mean that I don't go to some of their games anyway. The state of the Isles arena was not an issue in this thread, but if you would like to address it we may. While the Isles also want to get a new arena, the fact that they are locked into their assinine contract signed by the previous owners with SMG has been a major hitch in their attempts to do so. As with the Devils, the Isles owners have attempted to put a second tenant in the arena, but indoor lacrosse can hardly be considered a viable tenant for the same reason that indoor soccer is... the league's are unstable from a financial standpoint. While the Newark location certainly has the FAR better potential for access to the site (the collisium is a nightmare to get to), the question is what has to be done to the current infrastructure on the local roads and is that included in the cost for the new arena?
In Long Island, the Collisium is the only local venue for major events, but do you think the CAA is just going to be ripped down once the new arena is built? Probably not, so they cannot even guarantee how much they will be able to use it for other events when its not used for sports. Finally, Newark cannot even afford to run their own school system properly. Perhaps the city's money would be better spent educating their kids than building an arena for a sports franchise that doesn't even cater to the majority of its constituants. As a hockey fan, I would love to see it happen... from a practical standpoint, I just don't see how it would benefit the people of Newark in the long run.

I'm sorry to have gone off on you like that. Against my best efforts not to, I've come to develop something of a siege mentality on this topic.

The breakdown of it point for point is thus:

Insofar as what the $310 million covers, that is just the arena alone and nothing else.

Infrastructure in that area is in the process of being revamped and the state is spending an additional $80 million on it. The infrastructural developments there not only help the arena, but Newark's overall downtown Central Business District.

The arena is tied into over $1 billion in office, retail and residential developments in the area of the arena. That is being paid for by private developers. In a city with very little in the way of taxable development, this is HUGE. The arena also makes Newark more visible as a destination for businesses and will hopefully draw even more investment to the city.

The Newark School System is already being completely revamped by a $3 billion state grant that is being used to either rip down and build new or fix every single school in the city. The school system is being run by the state and has been mismanaged financially to the point where the state appointees are on the verge of being brought up on charges of corruption.

The NJSEA remains adamant about keeping Continental Arena open even after the Newark venue is complete, but I anticipate that the loss of 82+ gamedates (between the Nets and Devils, not to mention Seton Hall Basketball) and the fact that the arena already loses in excess of $5 million per year for the authority and will now have to compete with a newer arena for events will eventually force it to close.

As for the indoor soccer team, given the ethnic makeup of the neighborhoods within walking distance of the Newark Arena site (the Ironbound being predominantly Portuguese and Brazilian and the North Ward being predominantly hispanic) I'd say that that team will likely get very significant fan support from a rabid fanbase.

NewarkDevil,
I am constanly checking your posts on njdevs.com and really enjoy your updates. I have never signed up for posting on that board but check it daily, keep up the good work!

Thanks :)

Is this proposed arena closer to or farther from MSG?

Is this proposed arena closer to or farther from MSG?
About the same, Newark is only about 5-10 mile south of East Rutherford, if that.

I am working for an electric company ( I am a Union electrician) who has part of the new Newark arena and has told me that they will start building it very soon... :yo: I cannot wait to be on that job from when it starts to when it finishes in 2007... :banana:

I am working for an electric company ( I am a Union electrician) who has part of the new Newark arena and has told me that they will start building it very soon... :yo: I cannot wait to be on that job from when it starts to when it finishes in 2007... :banana:Does the informer who gave you this hot news also drive the zamboni and push a broom at South Mountain Orange? Just Curious.

I emailed Matthew Futterman (the writer at the Newark Star-Ledger who is covering the Newark arena story) and he said that they're going to try and break ground this fall. They've already sold the bonds (http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1086929710244490.xml) and the appeal against the ruling was denied (http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1087023129180640.xml). That leaves one more level of bureaucracy before they start construction. There'll be a final vote on it in Council and then the project goes forward.

Does the informer who gave you this hot news also drive the zamboni and push a broom at South Mountain Orange? Just Curious.



You are really a moron and really need to wake up and read something you might learn from... Then again maybe not... :shakehead

You are really a moron and really need to wake up and read something you might learn from... Then again maybe not... :shakeheadWhy do you have to get so upset and resort to name calling? You continuously post garbage and state things like "I know this will happen," or "The Devils will do this." The fact is you don't know anything but love to speculate on everything. I'm cool with that . . . as long as you're cool with me calling you out on the stuff you shovel.

If you would have been right about Stevens, not only would have I thanked you for your good information, I would have listened to your future reports with great interest. Now I just cringe when you post things "that you know" because I don't trust your information. If I'm a moron for that, call me a moron if you want, but until you prove to me that your information is anything more than made-up speculation or second-hand gibberish, you don't have my respect.

I emailed Matthew Futterman (the writer at the Newark Star-Ledger who is covering the Newark arena story) and he said that they're going to try and break ground this fall. They've already sold the bonds (http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1086929710244490.xml) and the appeal against the ruling was denied (http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1087023129180640.xml). That leaves one more level of bureaucracy before they start construction. There'll be a final vote on it in Council and then the project goes forward.

Great news that the bonds have been sold. A huge step imo.

If the appeal is rejected, the Devils will have an arena. The appeal is to get a referendum on the ballot which would allow the citizens of Newark to decide if an arena should be built.


Oh. Oops :innocent: :banghead:


I read that post wrong. I came back here wondering 'how all of a sudden if this such a sure thing?' I see now.

Why do you have to get so upset and resort to name calling? You continuously post garbage and state things like "I know this will happen," or "The Devils will do this." The fact is you don't know anything but love to speculate on everything. I'm cool with that . . . as long as you're cool with me calling you out on the stuff you shovel.

If you would have been right about Stevens, not only would have I thanked you for your good information, I would have listened to your future reports with great interest. Now I just cringe when you post things "that you know" because I don't trust your information. If I'm a moron for that, call me a moron if you want, but until you prove to me that your information is anything more than made-up speculation or second-hand gibberish, you don't have my respect.


I do not make up anything weather you believe it or not. Sorry for calling you a moron but it seems like you like to just pick on me when ever I come on here and post my OPINIONS... :shakehead I do not do that to you at all. You start this crap with me. I am around the Devils more than you think and when I post something it has been said by someone in the organization and I am just being nice to RELATE the messages to my fellow Devils fans weather they are true or not... Some have and some have not. But you and others here think it is me when it is not... I am no longer doing this because if and when I am wrong I hear the crap from you and others when it actually comes from the Devils organization... As far as the new Newark arena is concerned, I will be working on that job since it is my territory and the Electric Company that I am working for will have parts of that job with 4 or 5 other electric companies because of the size of the job. Months back I put in a post on Devilsrule.com stating that the new Newark arena is a GO and other things that will be built in the near future around that area and the CAA, Giants Stadium area... The parking decks have already begun in the CAA, Giants stadium areas... At least all this work will keep me employed for a longtime instead of collecting unemployment... :)