A day after the Nets unveiled their plans to build a
sports and entertainment complex in Newark, Devils Owner
John McMullen gave NJ Gov. Christie Whitman his proposal for
"the same kind" of complex at an historic train terminal in
Hoboken, according to Doug Most of the Bergen RECORD.
However, the Whitman administration responded by sending
letters to both teams "saying their proposals were
inadequate and asking for more details to help officials
make a decision." McMullen is pushing for a $350M "Hoboken
Station" that would be "anchored" by an 18,500-seat arena
and "complemented" by retail stores, restaurants and a movie
theater. The arena would include 100 luxury boxes, 3,000
club seats, theme restaurants and team shops. The Devils'
plan "relies on less public money than the Nets' plan," and
both come days before the NJ Sports & Exposition Authority
is to release a state-ordered five-month study on the future
of the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford. But
Whitman spokesperson Pete McDonough stressed one sports
complex: "I think the state will be expressing to the teams
that a dual-sports arena is the only thing that makes sense
to us right now. We will need to convince the teams to
stick together in one of three locations" (RECORD, 3/12).
McMullen will finance $200M of his project, with only $30M
coming in public funds (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 3/12).
