Within the hour, a multitude of fans “over there,” in the Ironbound, would stream from restaurants on Ferry Street and across a nearby bridge to help pack another area sports facility, the 17-month-old Red Bull Arena, in the (neighboring) town of Harrison.
While Major League Soccer was growing in Harrison, minor league baseball appeared to be dying in Newark, along with the (expensive) dream of restoring a slice of its vintage past.
“It’s two different things, totally separate,” said Philip Alagia, the chief of staff for Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr., the executive for Essex County, which partnered with Newark to build the baseball (stadium) for $34 million, including cost overruns. “The Red Bulls get major media (coverage). You don’t get that with minor league baseball.”
Alagia called the ballpark an important recreational site for Newark, hosting numerous high school and college games, and (community) events. He said it would continue to operate if the Bears were to go out of business and no team could quickly be attracted to take their place.
A soccer fan himself, Alagia said he parked in the Ironbound and walked to Red Bull Arena with many of the ticket-holders who filled restaurants and bars before games. In other words, the soccer (stadium) — while situated in another town and county Hudson — has also served Newark’s business interests.
But how much better off would Newark be if Newark had pursued professional soccer instead and had Red Bull Arena to go along with the Prudential Center and other development projects, including a $7 million movie theater (renovation )spearheaded by Shaquille O’Neal?
