Barclays Center
Barclays Center (/ˈbɑːrkliz/ BAR-kleez) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The arena is home to the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association and the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association. The arena also hosts concerts, conventions and other sporting and entertainment events.
Barclays Center in 2019 | |
Barclays Center Location in New York City Barclays Center Location within the State of New York Barclays Center Location within the United States | |
| Address | 620 Atlantic Avenue |
|---|---|
| Location | Brooklyn, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°40′57.58″N 73°58′30.81″W |
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| Owner | Empire State Development (State of New York) via Brooklyn Arena Local Development Corporation |
| Operator | BSE Global / ASM Global |
| Capacity | Basketball: 17,732 Ice hockey: 15,795 Concerts: 17,000 Boxing/Wrestling/MMA: 16,000 Tidal Theater: Approx. 6,000 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | March 11, 2010 |
| Opened | September 21, 2012 |
| Construction cost | US$1 billion ($1.33 billion in 2023 dollars) |
| Architect | AECOM (Ellerbe Becket) SHoP Architects |
| Project manager | Forest City Ratner Companies |
| Structural engineer | Thornton Tomasetti |
| Services engineer | WSP Flack + Kurtz |
| General contractor | Hunt Construction Group |
| Tenants | |
| Brooklyn Nets (NBA) 2012–present LIU Sharks (NCAA) 2012–present New York Islanders (NHL) 2015–2020 Long Island Nets (NBA D-League) 2016–2017 New York Liberty (WNBA) 2021–present New York Mavericks (PBR) 2024-present | |
| Website | |
| barclayscenter | |
The arena is part of a $4.9 billion future business and residential complex now known as Pacific Park. The site is at Atlantic Avenue, next to the renamed Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center subway station on the 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R and W routes, as well as directly above the LIRR's Atlantic Terminal.
The arena, proposed in 2004 when real estate developer Bruce Ratner purchased the Nets for $300 million as the first step of the process to build a new home for the team, experienced significant hurdles during its development. Its use of eminent domain and its potential environmental impact brought massive community resistance, especially as residential buildings and businesses such as the Ward Bakery and Freddy's bar were to be demolished and large amounts of public subsidies were used, which led to multiple lawsuits. The global recession of 2009 also caused financing for the project to dry up. As a result, construction was delayed until 2010, with no secure funding for the project having been allotted. Groundbreaking for construction occurred on March 11, 2010, and the arena opened on September 21, 2012, which some 200 protesters also attended. Its first event was a Jay-Z concert on September 28, 2012.
The arena is owned by the State of New York's Empire State Development authority through a public entity named the Brooklyn Arena Local Development Corporation. It is leased by Brooklyn Event Center LLC, owned by Brooklyn Nets owner Joseph Tsai, with operations (and associated revenue) managed by Tsai's BSE Global.