'Barclays Center', The New Brooklyn Nets Arena, Announces Partnership With Brooklyn Academy Of Music

BAM Will Put On Performances At New Brooklyn Nets Arena

NEW YORK — A little Shakespeare with your basketball?

The developers of a new arena for the NBA's Nets that is under construction in Brooklyn said Thursday that they have formed a partnership with the nearby Brooklyn Academy of Music to help fill the arena when the Nets are not playing.

The Nets arena will be known as Barclays Center and is set to open in September 2012.

The Brooklyn Academy of Music, or BAM, is a performing arts venue known for presenting innovative works of theater, music and dance.

Barclays Center developer Forest City Ratner Cos. said BAM will help recommend large-scale performing arts productions that could be staged at the arena, and The New York Times reports that they will curate nearly 6 shows per year at the 18,000 seat venue.

“We are excited to differentiate the Barclays Center by presenting programming unique to any major sports and entertainment venue in the country,” said Bruce Ratner, CEO of Forest City, to CBS News. “Our alliance furthers our goal to offer the community with a dynamic cultural experience in the heart of Brooklyn.”

BAM President Karen Brooks Hopkins said the partnership will give BAM the opportunity to work on a giant canvas.

But "Battle For Brooklyn" director, Michael Galinsky. whose new film documents the controversial construction of the Barclays Arena and Atlantic Yards, is skeptical, telling the Times “this is a much greater benefit to Ratner from this P.R. perspective than it is to BAM.”

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot