New York Local News

NEWARK (AP) ― Two suburban mothers and their teenage sons arrived before the Bon Jovi concert, looking to eat dinner in downtown Newark.

Ann Slocum, a teacher who drove in from Nutley, was hoping to discover a good restaurant near the new arena. She found one, but there was an hour wait at Scully's Publick House, a three-week-old restaurant a few blocks from Newark's new Prudential Center, and she went elsewhere.

``We came early to go out to eat and give money to some of these restaurants,'' Slocum said. ``The problem is there's not enough here.''

Slocum's dilemma might make city officials smile. The Oct. 25 opening of the $380 million Prudential Center has brought more people to downtown Newark, and city officials hope they'll feel safe enough to eat, drink, and watch a show long after the sun goes down.

In the past, most people seen milling about the streets of Newark at night were headed to the train station and out of town.

``I've never seen anything like this,'' said Teresa Gilbreath, who was walking with a group from her office to eat dinner in the city's Ironbound section, known for its Portuguese restaurants. ``I've worked in Newark on and off for 27 years. It's pretty amazing. I hope it continues.''

The arena will host concerts and is the new home of the New Jersey Devils and Seton Hall basketball. City officials hope arena patrons will spend money in Newark restaurants and bars and feel safe in a city with a reputation for violent crime and poverty.

It's been just over a week, but downtown Newark already has a different atmosphere on event nights. Slocum's friend, Barbara Rauco, was surprised by what she characterized as a ``Manhattan feel.''

The first week of events at the Prudential Center gave Newark an evening boost not seen in decades. But whether the arena-goers will return, or come early for dinner or stay late for drinks, is unknown.

The arena's opening and the increased restaurant activity are good first steps to Newark's revitalization, said Owen D. Gutfreund, an assistant professor of history and urban studies at Columbia University.

``If they (arena patrons) find restaurant or a bar that has an atmosphere they like or felt safe on the streets in Newark, then they will make plans to do it again,'' he said. ``It's important for the streets of Newark to feel safe in order for this venture to succeed.''

Police presence has been strong, with no crimes reported against arena patrons, said Daniel Zieser, chief of operations for the Newark Police Department.

To handle extra security, a 30-person team of special events officers is deployed for events at the arena and the nearby Performing Arts Center and Symphony Hall. Other officers have been shifted from days to nights, and the cost is about $20,000 per event, he said.

``I'm here 35 years, and I've never seen downtown Newark like this,'' Zieser said. ``People are not afraid to walk around.''

Critics questioned the economic vitality of a venue that caters to mostly white hockey fans in a mostly black city still struggling with poverty, unemployment and crime.

In some other big cities, run-down areas have rebounded after sports arenas opened, though it often takes years.

In Denver, the revitalization of the lower downtown area began in 1995 with Coors Field, said Mike Rock, general manager of a company that owns and manages the Pepsi Center, home to the Denver Nuggets.

The Pepsi Center opened in the same area in 1999 and two years later, so did a new stadium for the Denver Broncos.

``It was a very run-down area,'' Rock said. ``It has completely changed in the last 12 years because of the revitalization and the sports teams locating here, and the new businesses that have come as a result.''

In Washington, D.C., the opening of Shakespeare Theatre Company in 1992 and the Verizon Center 10 years ago helped give one neighborhood on the fringe of downtown a buzzing night life instead of a place people left after work, said Sean Madigan, a spokesman for the deputy mayor for planning and economic development. Now it's also a residential area.

``It's bustling every day of the week, in the morning folks going to work and in the evening folks going to events or going to dinner,'' he said.

In Newark, as many as two dozen NJ Transit ``ambassadors'' don yellows jacket every event night at the Prudential Center to help pedestrians.

The agency has seen a spike in people taking the train after events, including 5,000 more riders last Friday after another Bon Jovi concert, said Dan Stessel, a spokesman for NJ Transit. Late-night riders are also taking the PATH train from Newark to Manhattan, averaging about 2,500 for concerts and 1,400 for games.

``Downtown has come alive,'' said Stessel, who served as one of the ambassadors. ``It definitely feels like a different city with all the new people coming off the train and going to the arena.''

Many ask the ambassadors, the parking lot attendants and police officers directing traffic where to eat. Scully's has been handing out flyers with information and discounts, drawing crowds and buzz.

The city has also been distributing its own pamphlets with lists of nearby restaurants offering discounts. Stefan Pryor, deputy mayor for economic development, said the city wants visitors to return.

``It starts with ensuring a positive experience in every way,'' he said.

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