Meadowlands Chamber plays up benefits of building a convention center at sports complex – NorthJersey.com

EAST RUTHERFORD — The Meadowlands Chamber played up the potential economic benefits of a proposed convention center at the Meadowlands Sports Complex on Tuesday.
The 461,000-square-foot center would include a 300,000-square-foot exhibition center, 100,000 square feet of meeting rooms, 60,000 square feetof event space to host large association dinners and a 1,000-square-foot ballroom. 
The facility would accommodate multiple and concurrent youth sports, trade shows, gaming conferences, and other large events. It would be built between Rt. 120 and the sports complexwhere the old Izod Center still stands. 
“The Meadowlands Sports Complex has been the number one multi-sport venue in the country before and is still the only location that has the infrastructure, transportation, and hospitality elements for a venue like this,” said Meadowlands Chamber CEO Jim Kirkos. 
We believe this is a tremendous long-term help for the hospitality industry,” said Kirkos.
Brad Mayne, CEO of the International Association of Venue Managers, agreed. The convention center is going to create a lot of jobs and give opportunities to businesses to serve the live event industry,” he said. 
The land that the facility would be built on belongs to the sports authority, said Kirkos in a statement. If the state is a partner, they would need to develop a land lease with the builder or operator,” he said. 
Related:Grants will help Meadowlands area address impacts of climate crisis
Kirkos did not comment on who the builder may be. 
The facility allows for major airport and highway accessibility, and it is a short trip to Manhattan. 
“The real game changer of presenting this vision plan was the American Dream mall,” said Rob Hunden, CEO of Hunden Strategy Partners. 
The mall provides a destination that families and adults want, he said. 

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