NEWARK, N.J. — Newark's Prudential Center will soon see more activity with the announcement of a new hotel and retail project to be constructed adjacent to the arena. Plans call for a new 150-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel and 15,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Both components will connect to the Prudential Center, greatly increasing the draw of this downtown entertainment destination.
“This hotel project will bring more to Newark than 150 new downtown hotel rooms — it will create jobs for our residents and bring foot traffic to our small business owners,” said Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, in a statement.
The Marriott hotel will be developed by Robert Finbarb Cos. and managed by Marriott International. It will utilize the company's new prototype hotel and will feature meeting space, a lounge, a swimming pool and a fitness center. The retail space will be leased and managed by Tucker Development Corp. Groundbreaking is expected to occur later this year.
“This new hotel and retail development will continue our downtown's transformation into a vibrant, mixed-use, 24/7 community,” said Stefan Pryor, Newark deputy mayor for economic and housing development, in a statement.
Prudential Center was constructed in 2007. Known best as the home of the NHL's New Jersey Devils, the arena hosts approximately 200 sporting events, concerts and other entertainment events each year. It seats approximately 18,000 people.
— Coleman Wood