This is the second phase of a five-year, $100 million “enhancement” of the 12-year-old arena.
A week after trumpeting the New York Liberty’s $80 million practice facility in Greenpoint, BSE Global, Joe and Clara Wu Tsai’s Brooklyn holding company, announced yet another big ticket investment Thursday: the second phase of the previously announced five year, $100 million upgrade at Barclays Center. The first phase featured two new high-end clubs, Jet Blue at the Key and Toki Row, while the second phase, per BSE Global, is aimed at “fans at every price point,” per the official release.
The announcement did not put a price tag on either phase, but second phase appears to be the larger investment. Construction will begin after the Brooklyn Nets season ends on August 13 and will be completed prior to the start of the 2025-26 NBA season. Construction will not impact the New York Liberty’s home schedule nor any summer concerts at Barclays Center, per BSE.
The two big enhancements are The Bridge, a fan gathering place — “communal destination” on the second level at Barclays, and Gallagher Terrace, the newest restaurant at the arena.
According to the BSE Global press release:
The west end of Barclays Center’s upper concourse will be transformed into The Bridge, a two-level 6,800 square-foot multi-use space open to all guests that will serve as both a communal destination to gather, eat, drink and take in the action, as well as an activation zone for entertainment like halftime shows, fan contests, and more. To accommodate in-game performances, The Bridge features an oversized, raised platform, iconically shaped like a bridge, drawing inspiration and elements from the major bridges connecting Brooklyn to New York’s other boroughs.
The Bridge will also feature a 63-foot long bar and two new retail spaces where guests can purchase merchandise and apparel during Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty games.
The second enhancement will be Gallagher Terrace, sponsored by the Chicago-based global insurance and risk management specialists.
The terrace design, per BSE Global, will be based on Brooklyn’s “Gilded Age” at the end of the 19th century.
Barclays Center’s Loge Boxes and sections of 40/40 Club will be reimagined as Gallagher Terrace, a 5,300 square-foot space capturing the ambience of Brooklyn’s Gilded Age. Accessible exclusively to 110 guests, the intimate club will incorporate design details and lush décor featuring banquette seating – a first of its kind for the arena – bordered with dynamic LED lighting that will make the new club standout from inside the bowl. Gallagher Terrace will be the only place in Barclays Center to provide in-seat dining with waiter service,
Gallagher is now the official Insurance Broker, Benefits and Risk Management Services Partner of the Nets and Liberty, BSE Global announced.
There will be other smaller projects within the second phase, including improvements to The Garden Bar located on the arena’s main concourse, as well as partnering with The Brooklyn Home Company to renovate six backstage dressing rooms for talent performing at Barclays Center.
The enhancements were made possible in part by the Tsai’s decision last summer to sell 15% of the Nets, Liberty and Barclays Center to members of the Koch family led by Julia Koch. She’s the widow of the late David Koch, who ran Koch Industries with his brother. At the time, it was reported that of $688 million BSE Global — essentially Joe and Clara Wu Tsai — $192 million was being earmarked for working capital. (David Koch Jr. is currently a basketball operations assistant with the Nets.)
Like the Liberty training facility, the Barclays Center enhancements are the work of Populous, the big sports facility architects.
“We are thrilled to enter phase two of our five-year arena renovation plan at Barclays Center, a significant leap forward in enhancing the overall guest experience for all ticket holders,” said Shanon Ferguson, Chief Hospitality Officer at BSE Global. “We are committed to continuously setting new standards in hospitality for our guests, creating more immersive, comfortable, and elevated experiences for all and ensuring every visit to Barclays Center is unforgettable, regardless of seat location.”