NEWARK, NJ (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The Prudential Center was closed briefly on July 12th after city officials suspended the temporary certificate of occupancy that had allowed the arena to operate. Code officials ordered the building closed, citing a failure to provide proper documentation on safety equipment from the building's owners, the Courier-Post reported.
The $380 million, 18,000-seat arena, owned by the New Jersey Devils organization, has been operating under a temporary certificate of occupancy, or C.O. since it opened in October of 2007. However the permit ran out at Midnight on July 12th and Newark building code officials ordered the building closed.
The building wasn't closed for long however and lawyers for the Devils quickly secured an extension on the permit, allowing the building to remain open until August 25th. A hearing has been scheduled on the matter on August 8th.
The completion of smoke evacuation systems for the building have been a matter of contention between the city and the Devils. Off duty firefighters have been retained by the Devils to serve as firewatch staff while the upgrades completed.
"It's safe. It's just technicalities, paperwork, bureaucracy and miscommunication," Devils co-owner Michael Gilfillan told the Star-Ledger. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
