Report: New Jersey's Izod Center expected to be closed at end of month

The Izod Center in New Jersey will be shuttered permanently at the end of the month, according to a report from NJ.com's Brent Johnson. The arena, which has

The Izod Center in New Jersey will be shuttered permanently at the end of the month, according to a report from NJ.com's Brent Johnson. 

The arena, which has been without a full-time tenant since 2010, is part of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, along with MetLife Stadium.

The arena opened 34 years ago and was home to the New Jersey Nets and NHL's New Jersey Devils for nearly three decades. The Devils moved to the Prudential Center in nearby Newark in 2007. The Nets followed suit in 2010, playing two seasons in Newark before moving to Brooklyn. 

The Seton Hall Pirates also played home games at the arena before moving to Newark in 2007.

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All events scheduled to take place at the Izod Center after Jan. 31 will be moved to the Prudential Center, Johnson reports. The last event at the Meadowlands will be a monster truck rally on Jan. 30 and 31. 

State Senator Paul Sarlo was critical of the way governor Chris Christie handled the situation, saying the state should have tried to transfer control of the facility to a private company.

"It was done in a very haphazard manner," Sarlo said, according to NJ.com. "We realize (the state) can no longer run an entertainment center in the public domain. But a bidding process should have been put in place."

- Jack Jorgensen