CONTINENTAL Arena???

Anna Matyas Houck

unread,

Feb 23, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/23/96

to

I'm embarrassed that I hadn't noticed this until now but I see
that the Brendan Byrne Arena has become the Continental Arena.
What's the story? Who was Brendan Byrne anyway?

Anna

Donald Scott Macron

unread,

Feb 23, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/23/96

to

sm...@Lehigh.EDU wrote:

: There are also people who say he never should have had his name on the arena
: to begin with, since (1) he's still alive, and (2) he gave us income tax.

: Byrne's name will still be preserved in the name of something else at the
: complex, most likely either at the racetrack or the Arena Box Office (which
: sells tix for all Meadowlands events: Devils, Nets, Giants, Jets, concerts,
: etc.)

Having lived through part of the 'Beady-eyed Byrne' administration, I
propose that they name the lavatory bank right outside of gate C after
the illustrious ex-governor. I would think that the added prestige of
using the Brendan Byrne Memorial Toilets would help increase the
popularity and raise the public profile of the arena's...
er..uhm..facilities.

Roger R. Sackaroff

unread,

Feb 23, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/23/96

to

Brendan Byrne is a former governor of New Jersey. The arena was dedicated
to him after he negotiated the lease and construction of the building
when it was built for the Devils. The distasteful thing is that Brendan Byrne
is alive and well, and they changed the dedication of a building for
monetary reasons. Byrne said he was not offended, but I still think it is
pretty disrespectful.

sm...@lehigh.edu

unread,

Feb 23, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/23/96

to

In article <0l=Q2JK00i...@andrew.cmu.edu>, Anna Matyas Houck <am2x+@andrew.

cmu.edu> writes:
>
>I'm embarrassed that I hadn't noticed this until now but I see
>that the Brendan Byrne Arena has become the Continental Arena.
>What's the story? Who was Brendan Byrne anyway?
>
>Anna
>

Brendan Byrne is a former governor of New Jersey who brought the Meadowlands
Sports Complex (including the Arena, Giants Stadium, and the Racetrack) to New
Jersey. He's also (in)famous for bringing the income tax to N.J.

Today, Byrne is still alive and well. There's been a lot of controversy over
the name change, mostly because Byrne is a Democrat, and the name change was
authorized by Republican Governor Christine Todd Whitman.

There are also people who say he never should have had his name on the arena
to begin with, since (1) he's still alive, and (2) he gave us income tax.

Byrne's name will still be preserved in the name of something else at the
complex, most likely either at the racetrack or the Arena Box Office (which
sells tix for all Meadowlands events: Devils, Nets, Giants, Jets, concerts,
etc.)

- Scott

matthew wind

unread,

Feb 24, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/24/96

to

Anna Matyas Houck (am...@andrew.cmu.edu) wrote:

: I'm embarrassed that I hadn't noticed this until now but I see

: that the Brendan Byrne Arena has become the Continental Arena.
: What's the story? Who was Brendan Byrne anyway?

: Anna

Brendan Byrne was once a governor of NJ and the building was dedicated
to him. I don't know if he did anything special. As for the name
change, I think that in order for NJ sports authority to make money to
pay for the changes the devils franchise was complaining about they
needed to be sponsered by someone with money so Continental Airlines
bought the name to give money and get some advertisement time.
However, to make things complicated even more. the nets complained
that every advertisement made must give a percentage to the franchise
and this deal does not do that so the nets are complaining. hope this
was helpful enough.
Matt Wind
--

-------------------
End of network mail