With the Barclays Center only months away from holding its first concert and the NBA relocating the Nets to Brooklyn this year, many bar and restaurant owners—existing and hopeful—are excited about the business fans will bring to the neighborhood surrounding the arena at Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues. According to The Wall Street Journal, many bars and restaurants [map] are opening or expanding to accomodate the crowds that will be celebrating Nets victories or crying in their beers over missed-free throw opportunities. Neighbors are more resistant about turning the neighborhood into a mecca for sports bars where fans can pre-game and turn raucous in the later hours after events. The neighborhood was already gentrifying before the arrival of the Barclays Center, and now some fear that arena-centric bars and restaurants will drive out or price-prevent the development of residential-friendly businesses. "I'm concerned that it's becoming booze alley. I'm concerned that other corridors are becoming burger heaven," Council woman Laetitia James told the Journal. The local community board has already been trying to restrict the hours until which booze could be sold inside the Barclays Center until 10pm.
· New Nets Arena Proves a Magnet [WSJ]
· Barclays Goggles [Curbed]
· Barclays Center coverage [Curbed]
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