The missed opportunities surrounding the 2014 Super Bowl left Meadowlands-area officials determined not to let history repeat itself, prompting efforts to assess the feasibility of a convention center and bring fan festivals to the region during this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Jim Kirkos, president and CEO of the Meadowlands Chamber, outlined a proposal for a half-million-square-foot convention center as part of the Meadowlands complex and detailed plans for World Cup fan festivals during a presentation to the Board of Trustees at its May 11 meeting.
Multi-use Convention and Event Facility for Meadowlands
The state of New Jersey provided $2 million in funding for a market analysis that indicated the New York City Metro area is undersupplied by an estimated 2 to 3 million square feet of meeting and convention space. The state only has expo centers in Secaucus and Edison and a convention center in Atlantic City.
A convention center to replace the former Brendan Byrne Arena—and later named Continental Airlines Arena and the Izod Center—checks all the boxes for successful factors for a multi-use facility that could host conferences, banquets, corporate meetings and trainings, Kirkos said. It could also serve a $19 billion youth sports industry market, with a flexible 5,000- to 6,000-seat arena.
A 460,000-square-foot facility would include a 300,000-square-foot exhibit hall and 1,000-room hotel on site, complementing existing assets at MetLife Stadium, American Dream Mall, and Meadowlands Racetrack.
The estimated economic impact would be $30 billion over 30 years, according to Kirkos. “I’m not sure I know of any project in New Jersey like that.”
There was no such facility when the Meadowlands hosted Super Bowl XLVIII in 2024 so “The NFL Experience” was held in Manhattan, where 50,000 people visited across eight days. Lost business opportunities were a factor for driving this forward, Kirkos said.
The initial assessment had to include a transportation master plan for the complex, with final recommendations coming from consultant WSP. “’Connectability’ is really important,” Kirkos said. An early plan had some type of monorail to connect parts of the Meadowlands but instead will likely be some type of rubber-wheeled option to reduce the cost.
Kirkos said a best-case scenario would see the plan advance next year with an opening in 2030. To pay for the project, the state could bond for about $3 billion to $4 billion, with a possible partnership on the hotel, according to Kirkos. He added that they’re working through funding mechanisms on how to pay back bonds to present to the governor.
As far as the impact on Atlantic City and the South Jersey economy, Kirkos said the meetings and events held in Atlantic City are very different. And, in speaking with representatives at the Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan, he said taking a 300,000-square-foot event from them would allow the 1.5-million-square-foot facility to host large shows.
Flag Cities Fan Festivals
In the short term, Kirkos explained plans to get local communities involved in this summer’s World Cup, with Flag Cities Fan Festivals across the region. “We looked back at the Super Bowl and it felt like a missed opportunity. We need to do better and have businesses play a role. We can’t just assume an entity like the NFL or FIFA will do it for us.”
Not everyone can afford tickets to World Cup matches, so it was important to get everyone involved, Kirkos said. Some 200,000 people are expected to visit the region for the World Cup, with matches at MetLife at a capacity of 80,000.
Flag Cities events are planned in communities across the region in the lead-up to each MetLife match, featuring live match broadcasts, food trucks, music, soccer activities, and vendor villages. Designed as both community celebrations and fan hubs, the events aim to give residents, visitors, and tourists a way to experience the excitemen
t of the World Cup beyond the stadium. Event tickets will be $20 for adults and $10 for children.
Early press events about Flag Cities have generated more than $4 million in earned media, Kirkos said, demonstrating the excitement for the soccer tournament.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced 34 recipients would share $5 million in grants through the NJ World Cup Community Initiative for the fan experiences. In addition to seven Flag Cities events, smaller community experiences across the state were awarded 50 percent matching funds.
Kirkos said the economic impact of the World Cup will be big, but they also need to create opportunities. “If we don’t give [people] a reason to spend discretionary funds, it’s really easy to go to New York City and spend their money.”
A recording of the presentation and May 11 Board meeting will be available on the NJTPA YouTube channel.