Meadowlands Sports Complex
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The Meadowlands Sports Complex is a sports complex located in East Rutherford,
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, United States. The facility is owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA). It is named for the New Jersey Meadowlands, upon which it was built. The complex currently consists of
MetLife Stadium MetLife Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States, 5 mi (8 km) west of New York City. It opened in 2010, replacing Giants Stadium, and serves as the home for the ...
, which is home to the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
and
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
; the
Meadowlands Racetrack The Meadowlands Racetrack (currently referred to as Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment) is a horse racing track at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. The track hosts both tho ...
, a famous harness racing circuit (which is home of the annual Hambletonian Stakes); and the Quest Diagnostics Training Center, which is the Giants' practice facility. The complex is also home to the American Dream retail and entertainment venue, which was home to the Metropolitan Riveters of the
Premier Hockey Federation The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) was a women's professional ice hockey league in the United States and Canada that operated from March 2015 until June 2023. The league was established in 2015 as the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), com ...
, and the now-closed
Meadowlands Arena Meadowlands Arena (formerly Brendan Byrne Arena, Continental Airlines Arena and Izod Center) is a closed indoor sports and concert venue located in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. Since closing, ...
, which served as a home for the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
,
Seton Hall University Seton Hall University (SHU) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizab ...
's men's basketball team, and the team the arena was built for, the now–
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
of the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
.


History

In the mid-1960s, civic leaders in
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
began calling for a sports complex in the New Jersey Meadowlands that would be able to lure an NFL team from New York City. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority Law was passed by the
New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...
in 1971 and signed by then–
Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The ...
William T. Cahill. The first chairman of the NJSEA was David A. "Sonny" Werblin, former president of the NFL's
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
. By year's end, Werblin had secured a deal for the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
, who were then playing in
Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the home field of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. The stadium opened in April 2009, replacing the Yankee S ...
in
the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
, to move to the Meadowlands. Ground was broken on
Giants Stadium Giants Stadium (sometimes referred to as Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands) was a stadium located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The venue was open from 1976 to 2010, and primarily hosted sporting events and ...
and the Meadowlands Racetrack on November 19, 1972. To accommodate the new facility, access roads were improved. The New Jersey Turnpike, which had been suffering the burden of increased traffic volumes near its northern terminus in Ridgefield Park, built a new alignment, the "western spur", with an exit, interchange 16W, leading directly to the sports complex as well as to Route 3. Routes 3 and 20 (now 120) also received improvements. On September 1, 1976, the Meadowlands Racetrack became the first complex venue to open, featuring harness racing. The track drew a capacity crowd of 42,133 for its initial date. Giants Stadium opened on October 10, 1976, as 76,042 fans watched the New York Giants lose to the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, 24–14. By 1977, plans were in the works to expand the complex. A new arena was to be built on the opposite side of Route 20 from the stadium and racetrack, connected by vehicle ramps and a pedestrian bridge. Brendan Byrne Arena, named for the sitting governor, opened July 2, 1981, with the first of six sold-out shows by musician
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...
. The arena was renamed for its corporate sponsor,
Continental Airlines Continental Airlines (simply known as Continental) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1934 until it merged with United Airlines in 2012. It had ownership interests and brand partnerships with several carriers. Continen ...
(now part of
United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois that operates an extensive domestic and international route network across the United States and six ...
), as Continental Airlines Arena, in early 1996, since the airline had a hub at nearby
Newark Liberty International Airport Newark Liberty International Airport is a major international airport serving the New York metropolitan area. The airport straddles the boundary between the cities of Newark, New Jersey, Newark in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and E ...
. It was renamed again in 2007 for Izod as Izod Center. The first tenant in the arena was the
New Jersey Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
in 1981. A year later, the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
of the
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
and the
Seton Hall University Seton Hall University (SHU) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizab ...
men's basketball team joined the Nets. The Nets played their first game at the arena on October 30, 1981, and lost to their cross-river rivals, the
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
by a score of 103–99. The Devils played their first game on October 5, 1982, against the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
. The game ended in a 3–3 tie. The
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
moved to Giants Stadium on September 6, 1984, after playing at Shea Stadium for nearly 20 years. In their first game at the stadium on that day, the Jets lost 23–17 to the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
in front of 70,564 fans. In 2007, construction began on a mega-mall, named Meadowlands Xanadu. Work came to a halt in 2009, and Triple Five, owners of the Mall of America, took over the project in 2011. The construction was not complete until 2019. The New Jersey Devils and Seton Hall Pirates left the complex when the
Prudential Center Prudential Center is a multipurpose indoor arena in the central business district of Newark, New Jersey, United States. Opened in 2007, it is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), the New York Sirens of the Pro ...
was finished in 2007, followed by the New Jersey Nets, who moved there in 2010 to go to Prudential Center, then Brooklyn two years later, leaving the Izod Center devoid of a main tenant but free to host more concerts and events.
Giants Stadium Giants Stadium (sometimes referred to as Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands) was a stadium located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The venue was open from 1976 to 2010, and primarily hosted sporting events and ...
closed in at the end of the
2009 NFL season The 2009 NFL season was the 90th season in the history of the National Football League (NFL). The 50th anniversary of the original eight charter members of the American Football League was celebrated during this season. The preseason started ...
and demolition started immediately. In September 2010,
MetLife Stadium MetLife Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States, 5 mi (8 km) west of New York City. It opened in 2010, replacing Giants Stadium, and serves as the home for the ...
, then known as New Meadowlands Stadium, opened for its first game. It was privately built and funded by the Jets and Giants. A commuter train line and a training center for the Giants also opened at the same time. MetLife bought the naming rights for the stadium and the entire complex in August 2011.
Meadowlands Arena Meadowlands Arena (formerly Brendan Byrne Arena, Continental Airlines Arena and Izod Center) is a closed indoor sports and concert venue located in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. Since closing, ...
closed in April 2015 to the public after suffering the loss of its major tenants and economic losses from other events. Since then, the arena has been used for concert rehearsals and private video productions. The former arena box offices are used as a station for the NJSEA EMS and the former Winner's Club lounge restaurant is the quarters for the New Jersey State Police. MetLife Stadium will host matches during the
2026 FIFA World Cup The 2026 FIFA World Cup, marketed as FIFA World Cup 26, will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international men's Association football, soccer championship contested by the List of men's n ...
, including the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
; it will be the second time FIFA World Cup matches are played at the Meadowlands. Giants Stadium hosted matches during the
1994 FIFA World Cup The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the 15th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national soccer teams. It was hosted by the United States and took place from June 17 to July 17, 1994, at nine venues across the country. The United States w ...
. In addition to the three venues, the complex also hosts events in the MetLife Stadium parking lot. State Fair Meadowlands (formerly called the Meadowlands Fair, and not affiliated with the New Jersey State Fair held annually in Sussex County) began in 1986 and has been operated by State Fair of Belleville since 2003. The parking lot is also the home of a twice-weekly flea market, which is canceled when the parking spaces are needed for stadium events. The NJSEA hires in-house security and emergency medical services staff to serve the venues at the Sports Complex, including MetLife Stadium. Law enforcement is primarily provided by the New Jersey State Police Sports Complex Unit.


Venues


MetLife Stadium

MetLife Stadium MetLife Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States, 5 mi (8 km) west of New York City. It opened in 2010, replacing Giants Stadium, and serves as the home for the ...
opened in 2010, following the closing and demolition of the Giants' and the Jets' previous home,
Giants Stadium Giants Stadium (sometimes referred to as Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands) was a stadium located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The venue was open from 1976 to 2010, and primarily hosted sporting events and ...
. It is the home stadium for the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
and
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
of the NFL and is one of two stadiums home to two NFL franchises (
SoFi Stadium SoFi Stadium ( ) is a domed multi-purpose stadium in Inglewood, California, U.S., a suburb of Los Angeles. SoFi occupies the former site of the Hollywood Park Racetrack and neighbors the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome. Opened in September 2020, the ...
in
Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city had a population of 107,762. ...
is the other). It was the home of the New York Guardians of the XFL, MetLife Stadium hosted
Super Bowl XLVIII Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2013 Denver Broncos season, Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion 2013 Seattle Seahawks season, Seattle Seahawks to ...
in 2014 and will host matches during the
2026 FIFA World Cup The 2026 FIFA World Cup, marketed as FIFA World Cup 26, will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international men's Association football, soccer championship contested by the List of men's n ...
.


Meadowlands Arena (former)

Meadowlands Arena Meadowlands Arena (formerly Brendan Byrne Arena, Continental Airlines Arena and Izod Center) is a closed indoor sports and concert venue located in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. Since closing, ...
(formerly Brendan Byrne Arena, Continental Airlines Arena and IZOD Center) was a multi-purpose indoor arena. Opened in 1981, it was home to the
New Jersey Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
NBA team until 2010, the
Seton Hall University Seton Hall University (SHU) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizab ...
men's basketball team until 2007 and to the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
of the National Hockey League until 2007. The Devils and the Seton Hall men's basketball team moved to the
Prudential Center Prudential Center is a multipurpose indoor arena in the central business district of Newark, New Jersey, United States. Opened in 2007, it is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), the New York Sirens of the Pro ...
in Newark. The renamed Brooklyn Nets currently play in the
Barclays Center Barclays Center ( ) is a multi-purpose list of indoor arenas, indoor arena in the New York City Boroughs of New York City, borough of Brooklyn. The arena is home to the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association and the New York Liber ...
. It closed early in April 2015.


Meadowlands Racetrack

The
Meadowlands Racetrack The Meadowlands Racetrack (currently referred to as Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment) is a horse racing track at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. The track hosts both tho ...
is a
horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
track that hosts both
thoroughbred racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...
and harness racing. It is known popularly in the region as "The Big M". Opened in the mid–1970s, the Meadowlands Racetrack held its first harness race on September 1, 1976 while thoroughbred racing commenced on September 6, 1977. The Racetrack is the site of the Hambletonian, the most prestigious event in standardbred racing. The track is equipped to race at night, when most of its races are. In the middle of the track is a lake, intended to resemble the state of New Jersey. The Meadowlands Racetrack is also one of the leading simulcast facilities in the world in terms of total handle.


Quest Diagnostics Training Center

The Quest Diagnostics Training Center is the main headquarters and practice facility of the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
. It was known as the Timex Performance Center, renamed in July 2013 when the Giants and
Quest Diagnostics Quest Diagnostics Incorporated is an American clinical laboratory. A Fortune 500, ''Fortune'' 500 company, Quest operates in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Brazil. Quest also maintains collaborative agreements with various hospitals ...
announced a new partnership after the four-year partnership between the Giants and Timex ended. The facility, on the westernmost portion of the Meadowlands Sports Complex grounds, opened in 2010 and replaced the old Giants' practice fields and headquarters, adjacent to Giants Stadium. The Giants annually host
Training Camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events ...
at the facility in the summers, including practices open to the public with fan activities and legend player meet-and-greet opportunities. Parking for Training Camp is in Lot K.


American Dream

American Dream is a large mall and entertainment complex. Formerly known as Xanadu, the project resides within the Meadowlands Sports Complex adjacent to the Izod Center that has over 450 stores. The first of four opening stages occurred on October 25, 2019, with the other stages opening on a staggered schedule on October 1, 2020. Only 45 percent of American Dream's space is devoted to retail locations. The stores will include six anchor retail tenants with more than each, 12 major retailers with each, and 339 smaller shops of up to . It will include more than 100 eateries, as well as a , 18-vendor food court with a kosher food hall. The other 55 percent of the space contains entertainment facilities. The amusement facilities include or will include an indoor
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
-sized ice rink, an indoor theme park called Nickelodeon Universe, an indoor water park called DreamWorks Water Park, and a concert/performing arts venue with 2,400 to 3,000 seats.Brennan, John (February 21, 2013)
"Work on American Dream complex set to resume in March, official says"
NorthJersey.com.
Other attractions include the Big SNOW American Dream indoor ski slope, two miniature 18-hole golf courses, a CMX Cine’Bistro dine-in luxury movie theater, a family entertainment center, a bowling alley, a Legoland Discovery Center, a Sea Life Aquarium, an indoor rock climbing facility, and a Mirror Maze attraction. It also includes a
kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, ), from the Ashke ...
food court, with kosher options ranging from ice cream to pizza to fast food chicken. On September 14, 2022, the Metropolitan Riveters of the Premier Hockey Federation became tenants of The Rink at the American Dream for at least the next three years.


Access


Meadowlands station

New Jersey Transit operates the Meadowlands station at the complex, the terminus of the Meadowlands Rail Line. In preparation for the opening of the American Dream mall, the station opened for service on July 26, 2009. Studies are also underway about an extension of the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail line to the MetLife Sports Complex. Despite the opening of American Dream in 2019, the rail line is currently not being used daily.


Road access

The Meadowlands Sports Complex is primarily surrounded by four main highways: New Jersey Route 3 to the south, Route 17 to the west, Route 120 (also called
Paterson Plank Road Paterson Plank Road is a road that runs through Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic, Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen and Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson Counties in northeastern New Jersey. The route, originally laid in the colonial era, conn ...
) to the north, and the New Jersey Turnpike (
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
) to the east. The Turnpike interchanges with Route 3 near the south side of the complex, giving access from that point, and also has a direct southbound exit/northbound entrance at the north side. Route 120 starts at Route 3 near the southeast corner, runs straight through the complex, giving direct exits to certain parking lots east of MetLife Stadium, then turns west to connect back with Route 17, while also giving access from Washington Avenue ( CR 503). Routes 3 and 17 also connect to numerous local roads as well. Route 3 also connects to the
Garden State Parkway The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a Controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May, New Jersey, Cape May north to the New York ...
further west, and the Lincoln Tunnel further east, while the Turnpike/I-95 give access to and from the
George Washington Bridge The George Washington Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting Fort Lee in Bergen County, New Jersey, with the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It is named after George W ...
northwards, and Newark Airport southwards.


Auto racing

In 1983, a
Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
auto race was planned for the New York City area. A temporary street circuit at the Meadowlands Sports Complex was one of the finalists for the location. A course at Flushing Meadows Park, in the New York City
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...
of
Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
, was chosen, but the event was canceled before the first running. In July 1984, the CART IndyCar series held the first Meadowlands Grand Prix on a temporary circuit built in the
Giants Stadium Giants Stadium (sometimes referred to as Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands) was a stadium located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The venue was open from 1976 to 2010, and primarily hosted sporting events and ...
parking lot. The race was only moderately successful, and crowds were mediocre at best. In 1988, the course layout was moved to the streets surrounding Brendan Byrne Arena and redesigned to a , six-turn layout in an effort to improve competition. The race continued until 1991, and crowds continued to stay away. From 1988 to 1991, the race was part of the Marlboro Million, a cash prize to be awarded to any driver who won the Marlboro Grand Prix, the Marlboro 500, and the Marlboro Challenge All-Star event in the same year. The prize was never won. In 1992, race officials announced plans to move the race to
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
, using a street course at the World Trade Center. Within a few months, however, the race was canceled because of cost concerns. In the early 2000s, conceptual plans were drafted to build a
NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
-style speedway at the Meadowlands Sports Complex as part of a revitalizing project. However, the plan was rejected and abandoned.


Tenants


MetLife Stadium

*
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
( NFL) *
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
( NFL)


The Rink at American Dream

* Metropolitan Riveters ( PHF)


Former Metlife Stadium tenants

* New York Guardians ( XFL) (2020)


Former Giants Stadium tenants

*
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
( NFL) *
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
( NFL) *
New York Cosmos New York Cosmos may refer to * New York Cosmos (1970–1985), a team in the North American Soccer League (then the top-tier soccer league in the United States and Canada) * New York Cosmos (2010), a team playing since 2020 in the National Indepen ...
( NASL) (1977–84) * New Jersey Generals ( USFL) (1983–85) * New York/New Jersey Knights ( WLAF) (1991–92) *
New York Red Bulls The New York Red Bulls are an American professional association football, soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conferenc ...
(
MLS Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanctioned by the United ...
) (1995–2009) (moved to Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison) * New York/New Jersey Hitmen ( XFL) (2001)


Former Meadowlands Arena tenants

*
New Jersey Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
( NBA) (1981–2010) (moved to
Prudential Center Prudential Center is a multipurpose indoor arena in the central business district of Newark, New Jersey, United States. Opened in 2007, it is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), the New York Sirens of the Pro ...
in Newark from 2010–2012 and then moved to the
Barclays Center Barclays Center ( ) is a multi-purpose list of indoor arenas, indoor arena in the New York City Boroughs of New York City, borough of Brooklyn. The arena is home to the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association and the New York Liber ...
in
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
as the
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
.) * New Jersey Rockets (1981–1982) ( MISL) *
New York Cosmos New York Cosmos may refer to * New York Cosmos (1970–1985), a team in the North American Soccer League (then the top-tier soccer league in the United States and Canada) * New York Cosmos (2010), a team playing since 2020 in the National Indepen ...
(1981–1985) ( NASL Indoor/ MISL) *
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
(
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
) (1982–2007) (moved to
Prudential Center Prudential Center is a multipurpose indoor arena in the central business district of Newark, New Jersey, United States. Opened in 2007, it is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), the New York Sirens of the Pro ...
in Newark) *
Seton Hall University Seton Hall University (SHU) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizab ...
Men's Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
(
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
) (1981–2007) (moved to
Prudential Center Prudential Center is a multipurpose indoor arena in the central business district of Newark, New Jersey, United States. Opened in 2007, it is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), the New York Sirens of the Pro ...
in Newark) * New Jersey Saints ( NLL) (1987–1988) (moved to Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York as the New York Saints) * New Jersey Red Dogs/Gladiators ( AFL) (1997–2002) (moved to
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
) * New Jersey Rockin' Rollers (
Roller Hockey International Roller Hockey International was a professional inline hockey league that operated in North America from 1993 to 1999. It was the first major professional league for inline hockey. History League president Dennis Murphy had been involved in ...
) (1995–1997) * New Jersey Storm ( NLL) (2002–2003) (moved to
Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the tenth-most ...
) * New Jersey XTreme ( NIFL) (2005)


Notes


External links


Meadowlands Sports Complex

The Mills – Meadowlands Xanadu

Teterboro Online: Xanadu Project
* {{Authority control Champ Car circuits East Rutherford, New Jersey IMSA GT Championship circuits New Jersey Meadowlands District Sports venues in Bergen County, New Jersey Tourist attractions in Bergen County, New Jersey Sports complexes in the United States Entertainment districts in the United States