Jay-Z is getting ready to open the brand new Barclays Center in style tonight. The Brooklyn based venue that will serve as the Nets’ home floor has been in development since 2004. Various lawsuits and unexpected roadblocks caused the lengthy delay, but none of those annoyances will be on the mind of concertgoers tonight when the popular musician takes the stage for his first of eight performances.
All of the gigs, which will take place between now and October 6, sold out within hours of the tickets first being offered online. The new partial owner of the Nets decided to keep many of the seats at the extremely affordable price of $30, which now seems like a great decision given the crazy demand and all the good public relations the move has brought.
If all goes according to plan, Barclays Center will become a routine stop for the biggest touring events in the world. In addition to at least forty-one regular season basketball games, the arena is already signed on to host Lady Gaga, Bob Dylan, The Who and Justin Bieber. If the NHL hadn’t locked out its players, it would have hosted some preseason hockey as well.
According to CBS, Jay-Z is widely expected to trot out numerous guests during the eight impending performances, but for the time being, they will remain surprises. Here’s to hoping they all live up to the very lofty expectations of Brooklyn residents.
