The New York Jets announced today that they will relocate their headquarters and practice facility to a former Exxon Headquarters near Park Avenue in Florham Park, New Jersey. As part of this historic agreement, the Jets and the NJSEA will also dedicate an annual $50,000 fund to improve recreational fields in Florham Park.
The announcement concludes a six month search during which time more than forty sites were considered as the Jets potential new home. Two months ago, the Jets announced a short list of five potential sites which included Berkeley Heights, Florham Park, Jersey City, Millburn and Wood-Ridge.
As the new home of the Jets, the practice facility will house all football operations and most corporate functions including an 110,000 square foot building housing 100 employees, three outdoor football fields, and one indoor football field. Relocating the practice facility from Long Island to New Jersey will generate local jobs and more than $10 million annually in new tax revenue for the state.
"We have been heartened by the interest of so many towns throughout New Jersey to welcome us into their communities as their neighbors," said New York Jets President Jay Cross. "After conducting a comprehensive search, we have concluded that the Florham Park site best fits our needs as an organization. We are excited about calling Florham Park our new home and I want to thank Mayor Tinari, Council President Morano, the Gale Company, the Rockefeller Group Development Corporation and the Florham Park community for already making us feel so welcome."
"I also want to acknowledge the hard work of the four other finalists in our search – Berkeley Heights, Jersey City, East Orange and Wood-Ridge. Each of these towns put so much effort, passion and energy into their bids. We would have been proud to call any of them our home," added Cross.
"On behalf of the citizens of our fine Borough, I am gratified and excited that Florham Park will become the future home of the New York Jets Training Facility," said Florham Park Mayor Frank Tinari. "After an exhaustive search process, our community was selected by the Jets and the NJ Sports & Exposition Authority. They will not be disappointed by their decision. Florham Park has witnessed extensive changes in recent years. The Jets training facility is yet another positive part of this process, one that we heartily welcome."
"As a long time Jets fan and season ticket holder, I am very excited about the Jets coming to Florham Park. As a little kid wearing my Joe Namath jersey, I could never have imagined that I would someday get to be a part of bringing my favorite team into my hometown," said Florham Park Council President Joseph Morano. "The Jets history and track record of community involvement and support is outstanding and will benefit the citizens and youth of the Borough of Florham Park, as well as the entire Morris County area."
In addition to the new state and local tax revenues generated by the practice facility, the Jets are committed to community involvement. Beyond partnering with the NJSEA to dedicate an annual fund of $50,000 to improve recreational fields in Florham Park, the Jets will continue to support numerous civic charities as well as established Jets initiatives to fight hunger and improve education and fitness for children throughout the tri-state area. The Jets also support local football teams with coaching and kids clinics, local Coach of the Week Awards and free community access to training camp during the summer months.
"We are thrilled that the Jets are relocating their training facilities from Long Island to New Jersey," said Carl Goldberg, chairman of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. "Not only will New Jersey gain a corporation committed to community involvement, but our state will reap significant economic benefits from the tax revenues generated by the practice and training facilities. Over the past six months, the Jets have thoroughly evaluated more than forty potential sites for their training facility. We are excited that they have finally chosen a home in the community of Florham Park."
"We'd like to first congratulate the State, the Sports Authority, the Jets and the other municipalities considered for managing and conducting an extremely professional and fair selection process over these past few months," said Jonathan D. Green, President & CEO of The Rockefeller Group and Stan Gale, Chairman & Chief Executive of The Gale Company. "Obviously we are delighted and honored to have our site selected by the Jets, a team and franchise clearly on the rise. The Jets are all about commitment and performance excellence and that attitude is shared by everyone on our development team as well as in the Borough of Florham Park. We look forward to a long and immensely successful partnership."
Six months ago, the New York Jets exclusively retained Cohn Real Estate LLP to conduct a comprehensive site search in northern New Jersey. Over the past few months, the New York Jets and Cohn Real Estate have visited more than 40 sites in Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Morris, Union, Passaic, Somerset, Middlesex and Monmouth counties to find a location which best meets the unusual needs of the football team.
The sites were evaluated on the following criteria:
· At least 20 acres available with minimal impediments to development
· Located within a 20 mile radius of the Meadowlands and Newark Airport, yet accessible to Manhattan
· Proximity to diversity of housing stock, hotel accommodations, and appropriate medical facilities
The Jets had agreed to relocate their practice facility from Long Island to New Jersey as part of an historic agreement to build a new joint stadium with the Giants in the Meadowlands. As part of that agreement, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority agreed to acquire 20 acres for each team to build new training complexes in New Jersey. While the Giants new training facility will remain on the Meadowlands complex, the Jets training facility will be relocated outside the complex in Florham Park, NJ.
