These days, it’s hard for anyone to build something like New Jersey did in 1979, when it broke ground in the Meadowlands swamp for a sports field surrounded by acres of parkland. It housed the NBA’s Nets and the NHL’s Devils until both fled to denser urban centers with less transit options.
The Devils play two blocks from Newark Penn Station, and the Prudential Center site is connected by light rail. The Brooklyn Nets now play at Barclays Center, which is served by 10 New York subway lines and the Long Island Railroad. In fact, the traffic engineer who helped design the center, which opened in 2012, reduced the parking spaces by 51%, saying he wanted to “scare the drivers.”
For 25 years, stadium development and city planning have increasingly prioritized easy access to public transport – along with the usual amenities to keep fans away and spend.
Transportation was clearly on the minds of the investors who came up with the idea of building a new stadium for the Philadelphia 76ers at the Jefferson station, a SEPTA station in the Midtown area served by 12 Interstate Rail Lines, the Market Line- Frankford and a number of buses. the streets. It is also within walking distance of the PATCO trains from South Jersey.
“What could be better than sports and transportation? Now it can be in one place,” SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards told the Inquirer.
She noted that a fan can travel from anywhere to see the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, which sits on top of many subway and intercity lines.
“It’s nice to have a bite to eat in town and meet up with friends afterwards,” Richards said. If an arena is built above Jefferson Station, Sixers fans can do the same.
Here are some examples of other urban playgrounds that are connected to public transportation.
Transportation: The MBTA North Station is underground. Four passenger trains; two subway lines; Amtrak’s Maine route.
Tenants: Boston Celtics, NBA; Boston Bruins, NHL
Transportation: Nine subway lines, Long Island RR.
Tenants: Brooklyn Nets, NBA; New York Liberty, WNBA
Transport: The winning base – TRE passenger trains. Two light rail lines
Tenants: Dallas Mavericks, NBA; Dallas Stars, NHL
DENVER: Ball Arena, aka “The Can”
Tenants: Denver Nuggets, NBA. Colorado Avalanche, NHL
Transportation: Long Island Railroad, which also has stops in nearby Queens
MANHATTAN: Madison Square Garden
Transportation: Penn Station is directly under the station for Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit trains; six subway lines at 34th St.-Penn Station, also down.
Tenants: New York Knicks, NBA; NHL’s New York Rangers
Opened: 1968 at current location. (Three earlier MSGs elsewhere, from 1879)
Transport: Metrolink light rail
SALT LAKE CITY: Vivint Safe Home Arena
Transportation: Two TRAX light rail lines
Transportation: One Muni Metro light rail line. Fans can transfer from the BART regional transportation system.
Tenant: Golden State Warriors, NBA
Transportation: Three subway lines to Gallery Place
Tenants: Washington Wizards, NBA; Washington Capitals, NHL
