AEG Lands Prudential Center

New Jersey Devils chairman and managing partner Jeffrey Vanderbeek and AEG CEO Tim Leiweke announced February 8th that AEG will manage the new Prudential Center in Newark.

Vanderbeek and Leiweke also announced that AEG’s national concert touring division, AEG Live, will book concerts and other special events for the 19,500-seat arena, which will be the home of the National Hockey League’s New Jersey Devils.

The $375 million dollar Prudential Center, slated to open in October 2007, will be the first major sports and entertainment venue to open in the New York market in more than 25 years.

Prudential Center will feature a 4,800 square-foot state-of-the-art exterior LED screen, the latest in ice-surface technology and a gourmet restaurant overlooking the event floor. The venue will contain 76 luxury suites, 2,100 club seats, 750 television monitors, 12 escalators, eight elevators and an array of fan amenities and conveniences, including the Fire and Ice Lounges for premium seat holders.

AEG also co-owns and operates Red Bull Park, currently under construction in Harrison, N.J. This 25,000 capacity outdoor venue will be home to Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls.

"We are excited to be involved as the manager of the Prudential Center. This new state-of-the-art indoor facility will complement our existing outdoor stadium project at Red Bull Park, with each venue giving us a great opportunity to showcase the best in sports and live entertainment programming," said Nick Sakiewicz, president of AEG Metro New York.

With the addition of the Prudential Center, AEG now owns, operates or is developing major venues in several of the world’s top entertainment markets including Staples Center in Los Angeles, The O2 in London and The O2 World in Berlin.