Newly configured parking lots and easier access to parking through improved traffic patterns will make for smoother and shorter rides to and from the stadium. Access lanes into the Meadowlands will nearly triple from 16 to more than 40.
By Alice McGillion, Rubenstein Associates
Approaching the Stadium
Newly configured parking lots and easier access to parking through improved traffic patterns will make for smoother and shorter rides to and from the stadium. Access lanes into the Meadowlands will nearly triple from 16 to more than 40. For maximum efficiency the parking lots will provide more than 27,500 spaces and will radiate from the stadium with more direct, easier access through road circulation improvements, the introduction of inner and middle loop road systems and dedicated areas for permit and non-permit parking.
But driving won't be the only way to get to the stadium. A brand new rail facility will drop fans right at the front door giving thousands of patrons a quick, convenient travel alternative. Fans can travel to the new stadium via the rail link from New York's Penn Station or Newark's Penn Station in under 20 minutes. Plus, Metro North and other regional rail carriers are working on a one-seat ride to the new stadium.
Tailgating and the Plaza
Before and after the game there will be a whole new set of reasons to arrive early and stay late. A 300,000 square-foot outdoor plaza will surround the entire stadium--filled with fan-centric activities and concessions including merchandise, new food and beverage options, restroom facilities and pre-game entertainment. From the biggest and best barbecue you'll ever see to interactive games that pit you against your favorite NFL players - there will be something fun for fans of all ages.
Also planned for the future are new tailgating zones that will be linked to the stadium through pedestrian connections and offering fans ever-more ways to enjoy the hours before kick-off.
Inside the Stadium
A 400-foot-long and 40-foot-high Great Wall featuring brightly colored branding images of each team will serve as the grand entrance for game-day patrons.
Once inside the stadium, fans will encounter a dozen 16x9-foot, high-definition video displays spread throughout the seven concourses and the outside Plaza. Team stores will house 15,000 square feet of merchandise. Sponsor areas will occupy another 20,000 square feet of themed activities. Restaurants and bars will be spread around the building's interior. The two main concourses will expand into sizes ranging from 35-feet-wide to 70-feet-wide to accommodate fans as they enter, leave or congregate. Concession stands and restrooms will be located throughout the stadium.
When fans reach their seats, they will find a bowl design that strives to maintain the intimate feel of the current Giants Stadium, with front row seating only 46 feet from the field's sidelines, uncompromised sightlines and unrestricted views for punts and to the scoreboards. A special field-level club between the 40-yard lines will provide fans even closer views of the gridiron and play host to post-game press conferences. Cutting edge sound systems, digital boards and electronic signage as well as massive 40x130 foot LED video screens in each of the four stadium corners will keep fans inspired by the best action and information.