I'd love to see this:

[NewarkDevil5]

I want to see a festival in the city of Newark where they shut down Broad Street from Bears and Eagles Stadium down to Four Corners (Broad and Market Street and from Halsey Street to McCarter Highway (leave Halsey Market, and McCarter running, but the side streets shut down) in which they have Bruce Springsteen, BonJovi, Paul Simon, Queen Latifah, Redman, Connie Francis, Frankie Valli, Whitney Houston (assuming she can still stand on two feet), IceT, and various other up and coming New Jersey artists as well as Joe Pesci, Jerry Lewis, Joe Piscopo, Joe Rogan, Jon Stewart, and up and coming comedians with a carnival atmosphere in Military Park. If those names don't bring out a diverse crowd I don't know what will. It will show New Jersey's prowess in every part of the entertainment spectrum. Do it in the early part of the summer when its still reasonably cool at night. Set a date and do it every year. Find a snappy name for it. You'd draw a crowd of 200,000 for that.

[JerseyDevil]

NewarkDevil5 - I'm on the steering committee - also called the "Academy" for the proposed NJ Hall of Fame. There will be more coming out shortly about this. But what you propose, although not necessarily taking place in Newark is one of the things I am involved with. It's a very exciting endeavor.

BTW - I would love to see Broad St fixed up. I'd hate to tell you this though, one of the problems in NJ is that many people don't have respect for the state. I was at the Governors Conference on Tourism and I was talking to representatives for the Gateway region, one of them was even with the Newark Museum. I told them I would like to see Broad St turn into the Times Square of Newark and they basically laughed and said that Newark would never look like that. I call that a lack of vision and was doubly disheartened by the fact that the statement came from a Newark Museum representative. Need people with vision, people who can see the potential in New Jersey's cities.

[NewarkDevil5]

I'd prefer it to be in Newark so that it brings people back into the city especially in anticipation of the new arena being opened up. If anything would bring the public back into New Jersey's city that would.

[JerseyDevil]

I'd prefer it to be in Newark so that it brings people back into the city especially in anticipation of the new arena being opened up. If anything would bring the public back into New Jersey's city that would.

Well there is no set place for the museum yet, although right now it's leaning toward the Meadowlands. Basically it was a legilsative bill a number of years ago which basically called for a NJ Sports Hall of Fame to be located in the Meadowlands. Well now the plan has expanded, but because the location is in the bill, they need to have that changed. I'm not entirely sure of all the details.

BTW - I'm very happy with how much Queen Latifah has done in promoting Newark.

[NewarkDevil5]

That doesn't really surprise me. At this point, while Newark is rebounding, there are many people who still don't believe that it can make a recovery back to its glory days, but it can happen. More people like you (and me, though I'm not on any official committees of this sort) can make it happen. This state has so much potential and Newark is in the best position to realize it.

[NewarkDevil5]

I'm sorry, but I'm frankly sick and tired of this state pouring money into a swamp. What benefit to anyone is a museum in the Meadowlands? What benefit to anyone is a mall in the Meadowlands? What benefit to anyone is a stadium in the Meadowlands? It does no one ANY good. These things need to be concentrated in a city where there are people living nearby, transportation infrastructure, businesses, a walkable downtown. In other words, it needs to be Newark.

[JerseyDevil]

That doesn't really surprise me. At this point, while Newark is rebounding, there are many people who still don't believe that it can make a recovery back to its glory days, but it can happen. More people like you (and me, though I'm not on any official committees of this sort) can make it happen. This state has so much potential and Newark is in the best position to realize it.

Well it doesn't take people on committees, it takes everyday people to promote New Jersey. To write letters when you see negative articles in the newspapers, to basically let people know that Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, etc - are NOT suburbs of New York, but are proud cities with rich histories and cultures. Thinking of Newark today, it's rather hard to believe that Newark was founded as a religious town during colonial times. But people shouldn't forget it's origins and history and people who live there, as well as New Jerseyans should celebrate the city's history. Too much is made out of the 1960's riots - which not only affected Newark, but were basically a nationwide occurence.

[NewarkDevil5]

Not only that, but people too often forget that Newark in the 20s nearly wrested the New York Stock Exchange from across the Hudson, people forget that Newark had a theater district with over 40 theaters. People forget that Newark was once a city of over 440,000 people within its current borders, not to mention that it used to routinely annex neighboring towns in its growth pattern. People forget that Newark was once the center of one of the largest trolley systems in the country.

[JerseyDevil]

Not only that, but people too often forget that Newark in the 20s nearly wrested the New York Stock Exchange from across the Hudson, people forget that Newark had a theater district with over 40 theaters. People forget that Newark was once a city of over 440,000 people within its current borders, not to mention that it used to routinely annex neighboring towns in its growth pattern. People forget that Newark was once the center of one of the largest trolley systems in the country.

That is all very true. Newark has a lot of history to be proud of and hopefully soon people will speak proudly of Newark again. people forget that New York, which so many people seem to love now, only 20 years ago was a cesspool. People's worse thoughts on Newark, can't even compare to the reality that was New York. Yet, today New York is a changed city and the same can happen to Newark.

PS - we need our own network broadcasting companies to spread the word about the changes in New Jersey's cities though - the New York and Philadelphia stations don't cover anything but violence and so it perpetuates the stereotype.

[NewarkDevil5]

New Jersey's government could help with this. Trenton could try to foster the development of New Jersey based media. They don't. They could even expand on NJN, but they don't. Things that are encouraged by statehouses elsewhere are discouraged in Trenton.

[JerseyDevil]

New Jersey's government could help with this. Trenton could try to foster the development of New Jersey based media. They don't. They could even expand on NJN, but they don't. Things that are encouraged by statehouses elsewhere are discouraged in Trenton.

Exactly. This I talk about all over the messageboard. New Jersey is for sale to the highest bidder, and generally that bidder is New York or New York related companies. Therefore, New Jersey suffers and is merely looked at as a surburb of New York. I have come into contact with so many people who have told me that they thought New Jersey was actually part of New York and did not know it was a seperate state. Now that IS sad!, for us as a state and for the peopel who don't know the original 13 colonies and states. New Jersey, as well as it's cities, are losing it's history and identity. I hope it's not too late to reverse this trend.

[NewarkDevil5]

Thats why the state needs to start promoting Newark. Now that the Devils are moving there the Brick City's skyline will be on the television in various cities across the country at the very least 41 times per year and most likely a few more than that They are also planning a Smithsonian Museum of African American Music down in the Lincoln Park area of Downtown. I've heard plans for a New Jersey Jewish Museum on Broadway in the old Ahavas Shalom Synagogue there. Few people know that Newark used to have one of the largest Jewish communities in the country. Also, with the soccer team formerly known as the Metrostars' new stadium going up in Harrison that will bring more cameras to focus on Newark's skyline which is unavoidably visible across the river. The more exposure Newark gets the better.

[JerseyDevil]

Thats why the state needs to start promoting Newark. Now that the Devils are moving there the Brick City's skyline will be on the television in various cities across the country at the very least 41 times per year and most likely a few more than that

I really wish I could believe this, but sorry to say - I feel that the media - which is located in NY - will continue to show the Manhattan Skyline as they do now. Even during the Stanley Cup Playoffs they show Manhattan and constantly talk about NY. This will not change I am afriad until NJ gets it's own broadcasting stations, which again - NY will not allow.

[NewarkDevil5]

Ah, but they also show screen shots of the arena itself. When you show a screen shot of the Meadowlands Arena, all you see is the building and a parking lot. When you show a screen shot of the Newark Arena you see the skyline along with it. Its impossible to show the one without the other.

[JerseyDevil]

Ah, but they also show screen shots of the arena itself. When you show a screen shot of the Meadowlands Arena, all you see is the building and a parking lot. When you show a screen shot of the Newark Arena you see the skyline along with it. Its impossible to show the one without the other.

That is true. I also hope they will stop showing that city across the river though.