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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
One year out from 2026 FIFA World Cup, NJ ready to be 'soccer central worldwide'
One year out from 2026 FIFA World Cup, NJ ready to be 'soccer central worldwide' 3-minute read Show Caption Hide Caption Phil Murphy talks 2026 FIFA World Cup at NJ budget address During his 2026 New Jersey budget address, Gov. Phil Murphy discussed the upcoming FIFA World Cup plans. It's official. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at East Rutherford's MetLife Stadium in one year. To celebrate the last 365 days of preparation, Gov. Phil Murphy and the regional host committee, including CEO Alex Lasry and board chair Tammy Murphy, were at Liberty State Park in Jersey City Wednesday morning to outline the FIFA Fan Festival experience set to take place next summer. Joined by fan favorites like Mr. and Mrs. Met, Giants legend Victor Cruz and representatives from most of the region's professional sports teams, a mini festival complete with food trucks and activities for kids was set up to show, on a small scale, what is coming in 2026. With lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty serving as a backdrop, the park will be the premier fan festival during all 40 days of next summer's global event. More than 100 matches, including the ones scheduled to be played at MetLife will be broadcast live for fans to enjoy along with entertainment presented by LiveNation, food and other cultural exhibits that represent the Garden State and our neighbors across the Hudson River. What did NJ officials say? Gov. Phil Murphy said that between this year's Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup, the region will be 'soccer central worldwide, globally, for the next 15 months' and said there is a commitment to the legacy of the sport. 'MLS was born out of the 1996 World Cup. I can only imagine what will be born out of this World Cup and most importantly in the communities in the region on both sides of the Hudson,' he said. Lasry said Liberty State Park will serve as the 'central gathering place for fans from across the world' and explained it will be the largest and most visible fan festival of the tournament. Officials expect tens of thousands of fans to attend the festival during each of its 39 days and have partnered with LiveNation and DPS to produce the programming which will include concerts on rest days. Among those fans will be 'all six Murphys,' according to first lady Tammy Murphy. More: What has NJ spent — so far, at least — to fund the 2026 FIFA World Cup? 2025 FIFA Club World Cup gives NJ a preview of 2026 Fans get a little taste of the global soccer experience starting this weekend at MetLife when the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicks off. This year's tournament features club teams — professional teams from leagues around the world — as opposed to national teams that will compete in the 2026 World Cup. It's unclear whether the immigration and border security initiatives of the Trump administration will affect the tournaments. Among the teams to already qualify is Iran, which is one of the countries included in Trump's latest full travel ban. President Donald Trump did attend the Club World Cup draw in December and said he "will try to be" at the tournament. He has hosted FIFA President Gianni Infantino at his Mar-a-Lago Club and the White House. Infantino also attended Trump's second inauguration. Murphy said Wednesday that his understanding is that there will be exceptions for big sporting events and this is the 'biggest in the world.' He went on to say there is a 'long road to travel' between now and when the tournament starts but that all of the teams that qualify will be able to play. When asked about concerns tourists may have about the presence of ICE and comments made by Vice President J.D. Vance about visitors, Murphy said he 'can't speak' for them but is 'hugely optimistic this is going to be a blowout success and a safe World Cup.' 'Based on all the vibrations I hear… this is going to be done in a first class welcoming way,' he said. Lasry said the host committee's 'concern and goal' is that everyone that comes to the tournament has an incredible time. Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@
Broadcast Pro
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Netflix begins construction on $1bn production studio in New Jersey
The development will feature 12 cutting-edge soundstages totalling nearly 500,000 sqft, with additional areas dedicated to supporting film uses and community amenities. Netflix has officially broken ground on a new, state-of-the-art production facility at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, marking the beginning of a $1bn investment to transform the former US Army base into a premier film and television hub on the East Coast. Spanning 292 acres, the site will be developed into a cutting-edge campus that includes 12 advanced soundstages covering nearly 500,000 sqft. In addition to the production spaces, the facility will feature areas dedicated to film support services and community amenities aimed at integrating the site with the surrounding region. Speaking about the new facility, Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix, said: 'Netflix is proud to invest in American innovation and the creative community. We estimate that these studios will create thousands of jobs for New Jersey residents, billions of dollars in economic output, and many other cultural benefits to the region and state. Over the past four years, Netflix has contributed $125 billion to the US economy and hired more than 140,000 cast and crew members. And we're excited to continue our investment in the US and New Jersey in the coming years.' New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy took the stage and emphasised the project's economic and cultural significance for the state. 'As the birthplace of the motion picture industry, New Jersey couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Netflix — a name synonymous with 21st century entertainment — to the Garden State,' stated Governor Murphy. 'The Netflix studio at Fort Monmouth further solidifies New Jersey's reputation as a global leader in film and television production, attracting some of the world's top filmmakers and creators to the state. We are grateful to Netflix for choosing New Jersey as its new home on the East Coast and for committing to an investment that will fuel economic growth, generate thousands of new jobs, and bring more patrons to our local businesses.' Local leaders echoed his sentiments, including Eatontown Mayor Anthony Talerico Jr., Oceanport Mayor Thomas J. Tvrdik, New Jersey Speaker Craig Coughlin, Senator Vin Gopal, Senator Declan J. O'Scanlon Jr., and Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone, each expressing their support and excitement for the redevelopment. New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy also attended, joining the chorus of support afterwards. 'Today's groundbreaking of the Netflix studio at Fort Monmouth brings our vision of making New Jersey the premier destination for world-class film and television to fruition,' commented First Lady Tammy Murphy. 'As a global leader in entertainment and innovative storytelling, Netflix has completely re-shaped the industry as we know it today. While I look forward to seeing more New Jersey landscapes grace screens around the world, I am even more excited for the economic potential this studio brings to our state. From thousands of good-paying jobs to new opportunities for local businesses, expanded education and more, this state-of-the-art facility will create lasting benefits for the residents of our state for many years to come.' Initially announced in 2022, the redevelopment plan aims to breathe new life into Fort Monmouth, which has sat largely vacant for over a decade. The project is expected to generate a significant number of permanent production and construction-related jobs, making it a major economic engine for the region. In preparation for the development, Netflix collaborated over the past three years with officials from Eatontown, Oceanport and Monmouth County to obtain the necessary approvals for the first phase of the studio. Demolition is anticipated to take approximately 13 months, with the studio projected to open in 2028. Additional approvals are still needed before full-scale construction can commence. Netflix has also made efforts to engage the local community throughout the planning process. The company hosted supplier networking events to connect with area vendors, participated in the Count Basie Breakthrough Filmmaker Festival in Red Bank, and supported veteran-focused initiatives such as cookouts with Soldier On and JBJ Soul Kitchen in 2023 and 2024. With the launch of construction, Netflix aims not only to build a premier production facility but also to strengthen its relationship with New Jersey communities and help cultivate a thriving regional film ecosystem.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
County conventions were all the rage in NJ. Now candidates are skipping out.
This time last year, New Jersey's county conventions were must-watch affairs like Iowa and New Hampshire are in presidential elections. Then-Rep. Andy Kim was battling first lady Tammy Murphy for Bob Menendez's Senate seat following his corruption indictment. It was a bruising contest pitting New Jersey's political machinery against grassroots Democrats — and ultimately led to the collapse of the state's unique 'county line' ballot design, which gave party-backed candidates a better spot on the ballot. Now many of the candidates running in one of the nation's premier races for governor are ditching conventions and making direct appeals to primary voters, leaving party bosses on the sidelines. That isn't sitting well with some county leaders. Skipping conventions is a 'slap in the organization's face,' said Union County Republican Chair Carlos Santos, whose county's convention is next week. 'I know what they're trying to do. They're trying to tear down the party and say, 'The county party has been corrupt.' And you know what, some of them have,' Santos said. 'I'm going to run a clean, fair convention, and if you're so kind to come participate, it's open to everybody who submitted a letter of intent.' In past elections, those endorsements at the county level would all but guarantee that a party-blessed candidate would prevail in the primary, causing hopefuls to invest hefty resources for courting party insiders. This time around, many of the gubernatorial candidates are eschewing the events, arguing that their time is better spent on the trail in this new post-line political environment. There are undoubtedly some benefits to having the backing of a county party. Some of the counties provide valuable resources, like on-the-ground organizing. A win can also establish momentum for the candidates — though conventions are likely not top of mind for voters at this point months before the June primary. County endorsements also come with the party's slogan on the ballot, which can indicate to voters who has the party's support. Still, it's unclear how influential that is without the so-called line that was in place for a century until now. The county endorsements do not have the same draw as previous years, given the office block layout of the ballot for the June election, like many other states use. Most counties have already agreed to use that design, though legislation that puts it into law is headed to the governor. 'The fact that so many people are choosing not to go through the process really highlights just how powerful the county line itself is in determining who wins the primary, putting aside all that other stuff,' said Julia Sass Rubin, a Rutgers professor whose research was cited in overturning the line. 'The candidates feel like they can afford to do this now. They don't have to drop out if they're not the favorite daughter or son, and they don't have to go through the process of getting endorsed.' County conventions in this year's race for governor have been devoid of major surprises: Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli are dominating their respective party's processes. Many of those wins have come with minimal competition — and in some cases, none at all. Some candidates are abandoning conventions altogether, like Democratic Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Republicans Bill Spadea (with the exception of Ocean County, where the chair endorsed him), former state Sen. Ed Durr and state Sen. Jon Bramnick. Others say they will not partake in conventions that they allege have predetermined outcomes. Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer's campaign said he's 'not walking into any diners where I know I'm going to get whacked.' Former Republican Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac asserted he 'won't participate in any convention that doesn't use hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots' and urged his opponents to do the same (although most of them have already said they're not engaging.) So far, Sherrill has won three conventions: Hunterdon, Mercer (where the chair had endorsed her prior to the convention) and Monmouth. That first convention in Hunterdon had five contenders and ended in a tight race between Sherrill and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, which went to a run-off vote. Her other victories — where only she, Baraka and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller competed out of the field of six Democratic contenders — had larger margins, particularly in Monmouth, with Baraka coming in second and Spiller in last. Baraka told POLITICO prior to the conventions that it is important to engage in the events despite other candidates shunning them. 'I think talking to the voters is important, and you can't write the convention, the committee people, off,' Baraka said. 'I think they're community folks. They're voters. You know they're going to vote in the primary, and you can pick some of them off.' Similarly, Spiller said prior to the conventions that he understands 'how frustrating it is' going 'into a quote unquote 'open convention,' where all of the leaders there have already told you who they're gonna vote for and support.' 'I'm sick and tired of it,' he said. 'But that said, I still am going to go into spaces and talk to people.' Even Fulop, who was the first candidate to say he was not competing at these conventions, hasn't fully stayed away. The vehemently anti-machine candidate has shown up to the events to hand out letters explaining his rationale for not taking part. It's to be seen if Sherrill can continue her streak into this weekend's conventions in Atlantic and Burlington, as those South Jersey counties could end up backing former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. Sweeney skipped out on Mercer and Monmouth. Ciattarelli's convention season has been even more uncompetitive. He has been the only major GOP candidate to commit to compete in every convention, and has notched wins in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Passaic without any opposition. Ciattarelli has only had one loss, to Spadea in Ocean County — also unsurprising, given the GOP chair's endorsement of Spadea last year. Ciattarelli got more than one-third of the vote in Ocean. A dozen Republican county chairs issued a statement on Wednesday expressing 'disappointment in certain gubernatorial candidates' for skipping the conventions, saying it signals that 'candidates do not take county committee member's jobs seriously.' They argued that participating in conventions even if candidates anticipate a loss is 'what leadership, respect, and coalition-building looks like.' 'As Chairs, we will not stand by as candidates publicly dismiss those who embody volunteerism, party activism, and informed perspective as 'political insiders' that are part of an 'inefficient and outdated process,'' the GOP chairs from Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Salem, Somerset, Sussex and Union counties wrote. Without the line, a candidate's success in county conventions does not necessarily correlate with their showing in the primary. Although Spiller has been coming in last in these conventions, for instance, the sparse polls in the race have shown him as a runner-up — due in part to the high-dollar and aggressive advertising campaign from an outside group supporting him that has boosted his name ID. Many voters are still undecided months out from the June primary. Atlantic County Democratic Chair Michael Suleiman, who in his personal capacity endorsed Sweeney in late 2023, said it isn't surprising that candidates are picking and choosing where they compete this year, because 'winning the slogan doesn't mean as much as winning the line.' 'We have the longest running convention in the state,' Suleiman said ahead of this weekend's gathering. 'We're proud of that tradition. But even I would concede that our convention doesn't mean as much without the party line.'
Politico
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
County conventions were all the rage in NJ. Now candidates are skipping out.
This time last year, New Jersey's county conventions were must-watch affairs like Iowa and New Hampshire are in presidential elections. Then-Rep. Andy Kim was battling first lady Tammy Murphy for Bob Menendez's Senate seat following his corruption indictment. It was a bruising contest pitting New Jersey's political machinery against grassroots Democrats — and ultimately led to the collapse of the state's unique 'county line' ballot design, which gave party-backed candidates a better spot on the ballot. Now many of the candidates running in one of the nation's premier races for governor are ditching conventions and making direct appeals to primary voters, leaving party bosses on the sidelines. That isn't sitting well with some county leaders. Skipping conventions is a 'slap in the organization's face,' said Union County Republican Chair Carlos Santos, whose county's convention is next week. 'I know what they're trying to do. They're trying to tear down the party and say, 'The county party has been corrupt.' And you know what, some of them have,' Santos said. 'I'm going to run a clean, fair convention, and if you're so kind to come participate, it's open to everybody who submitted a letter of intent.' In past elections, those endorsements at the county level would all but guarantee that a party-blessed candidate would prevail in the primary, causing hopefuls to invest hefty resources for courting party insiders. This time around, many of the gubernatorial candidates are eschewing the events, arguing that their time is better spent on the trail in this new post-line political environment. There are undoubtedly some benefits to having the backing of a county party. Some of the counties provide valuable resources, like on-the-ground organizing. A win can also establish momentum for the candidates — though conventions are likely not top of mind for voters at this point months before the June primary. County endorsements also come with the party's slogan on the ballot, which can indicate to voters who has the party's support. Still, it's unclear how influential that is without the so-called line that was in place for a century until now. The county endorsements do not have the same draw as previous years, given the office block layout of the ballot for the June election, like many other states use. Most counties have already agreed to use that design, though legislation that puts it into law is headed to the governor. 'The fact that so many people are choosing not to go through the process really highlights just how powerful the county line itself is in determining who wins the primary, putting aside all that other stuff,' said Julia Sass Rubin, a Rutgers professor whose research was cited in overturning the line. 'The candidates feel like they can afford to do this now. They don't have to drop out if they're not the favorite daughter or son, and they don't have to go through the process of getting endorsed.' County conventions in this year's race for governor have been devoid of major surprises: Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli are dominating their respective party's processes. Many of those wins have come with minimal competition — and in some cases, none at all. Some candidates are abandoning conventions altogether, like Democratic Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Republicans Bill Spadea (with the exception of Ocean County, where the chair endorsed him), former state Sen. Ed Durr and state Sen. Jon Bramnick. Others say they will not partake in conventions that they allege have predetermined outcomes. Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer's campaign said he's 'not walking into any diners where I know I'm going to get whacked.' Former Republican Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac asserted he 'won't participate in any convention that doesn't use hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots' and urged his opponents to do the same (although most of them have already said they're not engaging.) So far, Sherrill has won three conventions: Hunterdon, Mercer (where the chair had endorsed her prior to the convention) and Monmouth. That first convention in Hunterdon had five contenders and ended in a tight race between Sherrill and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, which went to a run-off vote. Her other victories — where only she, Baraka and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller competed out of the field of six Democratic contenders — had larger margins, particularly in Monmouth, with Baraka coming in second and Spiller in last. Baraka told POLITICO prior to the conventions that it is important to engage in the events despite other candidates shunning them. 'I think talking to the voters is important, and you can't write the convention, the committee people, off,' Baraka said. 'I think they're community folks. They're voters. You know they're going to vote in the primary, and you can pick some of them off.' Similarly, Spiller said prior to the conventions that he understands 'how frustrating it is' going 'into a quote unquote 'open convention,' where all of the leaders there have already told you who they're gonna vote for and support.' 'I'm sick and tired of it,' he said. 'But that said, I still am going to go into spaces and talk to people.' Even Fulop, who was the first candidate to say he was not competing at these conventions, hasn't fully stayed away. The vehemently anti-machine candidate has shown up to the events to hand out letters explaining his rationale for not taking part. It's to be seen if Sherrill can continue her streak into this weekend's conventions in Atlantic and Burlington, as those South Jersey counties could end up backing former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. Sweeney skipped out on Mercer and Monmouth. Ciattarelli's convention season has been even more uncompetitive. He has been the only major GOP candidate to commit to compete in every convention, and has notched wins in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Passaic without any opposition. Ciattarelli has only had one loss, to Spadea in Ocean County — also unsurprising, given the GOP chair's endorsement of Spadea last year. Ciattarelli got more than one-third of the vote in Ocean. A dozen Republican county chairs issued a statement on Wednesday expressing 'disappointment in certain gubernatorial candidates' for skipping the conventions, saying it signals that 'candidates do not take county committee member's jobs seriously.' They argued that participating in conventions even if candidates anticipate a loss is 'what leadership, respect, and coalition-building looks like.' 'As Chairs, we will not stand by as candidates publicly dismiss those who embody volunteerism, party activism, and informed perspective as 'political insiders' that are part of an 'inefficient and outdated process,'' the GOP chairs from Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Salem, Somerset, Sussex and Union counties wrote. Without the line, a candidate's success in county conventions does not necessarily correlate with their showing in the primary. Although Spiller has been coming in last in these conventions, for instance, the sparse polls in the race have shown him as a runner-up — due in part to the high-dollar and aggressive advertising campaign from an outside group supporting him that has boosted his name ID. Many voters are still undecided months out from the June primary. Atlantic County Democratic Chair Michael Suleiman, who in his personal capacity endorsed Sweeney in late 2023, said it isn't surprising that candidates are picking and choosing where they compete this year, because 'winning the slogan doesn't mean as much as winning the line.' 'We have the longest running convention in the state,' Suleiman said ahead of this weekend's gathering. 'We're proud of that tradition. But even I would concede that our convention doesn't mean as much without the party line.'
Associated Press
11-02-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Fan fest in Jersey City will be open for all 104 World Cup matches next year
NEW YORK (AP) — A fan fest at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, will be open for all 104 games of the 2026 World Cup. Fan fests with large video screens have been a part of each World Cup's organization since 2006. Plans to have one in New York City's Corona Park no longer are moving forward, but festivities in Central Park remains possible. The one in Jersey City is set. 'That is going to be the one fan fest, I believe, across the country that is going to be up and running for all games of the World Cup as opposed to just the games that are happening in our region,' Tammy Murphy, wife of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and chair of the New York/New Jersey host committee's directors, said during an interview Monday. Murphy's appointment as chair was announced Tuesday along with the hiring of Alex Lasry, a former Milwaukee Bucks executive and son of former Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, as CEO of the host committee. He heads a fulltime staff of about 10. The World Cup will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The tournament, expanded to 48 nations from 32, opens June 11 in Mexico City and the final will be July 19 at East Rutherford, New Jersey. , with all matches in the U.S. from the quarterfinals on. 'The final is awesome to have here and it is a huge opportunity not just for FIFA to market itself, but I think more importantly for the New York/New Jersey region to market itself as the place to do business, as the place to do events and as the center for sports and entertainment in the world,' Lasry said. FIFA is running the World Cup itself unlike in the past, when a local organizing committee was in charge of logistics. FIFA did not respond to a request for FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Heimo Schirgi, chief operating officer of the tournament, to discuss the World Cup. The host committee will coordinate with federal, state and local governments. 'We're not going to really be handling what goes on inside the stadium,' Lasry said. 'The soccer match, that's going to be a lot of FIFA. We're going to be working with FIFA on security and our day-to-day responsibilities are to raise money to help put on the fan fests, to make sure that our security and transportation are all set and then also making sure that we're engaging with the communities to kind of explain to everyone what the benefits of this are going to be.' Lasry, the U.S. Commerce Department's deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism for two years until last month, said the committee will work to ensure the tournament leaves a legacy. World Cup USA 1994, which ran the previous World Cup in the U.S. for FIFA, transferred about $50 million in surplus money from the tournament to a newly established U.S Soccer Foundation, which has focused on funding the game in underserved communities. FIFA has various tiers of sponsors and Lasry said the host committee will work with FIFA's partners and be responsible deals with regional entities. Lasry said the semifinals and championship of the first expanded Club World Cup at East Rutherford's MetLife Stadium this July will be a dry run for the 2026 event. 'We'll be able to look at it from a security and transportation standpoint on, OK, where did things go really well? Where do we have some gaps? What went well but that we can do better?' Lasry said.
