Guide to Meeting & Event Planning in

The Meadowlands, New Jersey

New & Coming Soon to the Meadowlands

• New at American Dream is Interactive Games, an attraction that blends gaming technology with full-body, physical activities. Group packages include 50 minutes of play for up to 50 players divided into ten teams.

• The new, $2.7 billion Terminal A has debuted at Newark Liberty International Airport. The facility, which can handle an estimated 13.6 million passengers a year, landed an impressive third-place finish in the World Airport Awards' best new global terminal category. In addition to the new terminal, the $3.3 billion Newark Liberty redevelopment program includes a new parking garage and a centralized rental-car facility.

• The Meadowlands’ positioning as a go-to destination for groups may get a giant boost if plans for a proposed Meadowlands Convention Center district come to fruition. The Meadowlands 2040 Foundation and Meadowlands Live Convention and Visitors Bureau announced details about Phase 2 of the $1.6 billion project in February. The plan calls for the Meadowlands Arena to be replaced with a newly built convention facility that would include 300,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 60,000-square-foot ballroom and about 75 smaller meeting rooms. Three hotels with a total of 2,200 guest rooms are also part of the proposal.

• American Dream, the three-million-square-foot entertainment and retail complex, has added yet another reason for groups to visit: Dream Live, a 30,000-square-foot, customizable space that accommodates 900 attendees for standing events. Its 4,500-square-foot, Art Deco-style lobby can be booked alone or with the main space. Features include a public-facing marquee LCD displays, as well as a video wall with nine 55-inch LCD displays.

• The SureStay Hotel by Best Western Secaucus Meadowlands, located in Secaucus, is slated to complete renovations in May and will be relaunched as a Best Western Plus. The 149-room hotel has 450 square feet of meeting and event space.

• The former Holiday Inn Secaucus Meadowlands is expected to reopen soon with a new identity; the brand of the property has yet to be announced. The 161-room property has eight meeting rooms.

• The Hilton Hasbrouck Heights Meadowlands has completed renovations and upgrades to its lobby and bar/restaurant venue. The 355-room property offers 32,329 square feet of meeting and event space.

• The Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights – Meadowlands has updated its public areas and food and beverage venues. The 244-room property has four meeting rooms.

More Meeting & Event Venues in the Meadowlands

• The 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium, hosts an array of large-scale events, ranging from football games to monster truck competitions and dirt bike Supercross events. The venue accommodates private events in spaces including the 10,700-square-foot Commissioners Club, 18,000-square-foot EY Coaches Club and the Corona Beach Club and West Mezzanine Club, both of which measure 30,000 square feet. The stadium's robust calendar of events lists a variety of upcoming live events, including summer concerts by Beyonce; Metallica and Guns N Roses, and Bruce Springsteen. Upcoming sports events include two upcoming NHL Stadium Series games: the Islanders versus the Rangers and the Devils versus Flyers, both of which will take place in February 2024.

• Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment is another popular venue for sporting excitement, with year-round harness racing and the FanDuel Sportsbook at its Meadowlands Racetrack. The facility has multiple spaces for private events, including a 6,034-square-foot trackside venue, 3,973-square-foot Skybox Suites and a second-floor Gallery that accommodates 75 attendees.

• The Bergen Performing Arts Center, known as BergenPAC, hosts more than 200 live performances every year, ranging from music to dance to comedy. Planners can make use of multiple spaces within the Englewood, N.J.,facility, including rehearsal spaces, the Sandy Bennett Art Gallery, the 80-person Drapkin Cabaret and Lounge and 1,367-seat main theater. In addition, the Performing Arts School at BergenPAC offers event space.

• Planners can dazzle attendees with big-screen presentations at the Showplace ICON Theater & Kitchen/Secaucus Kerasotes Showplace 14, a multi-screen venue that hosts events including high-tech meetings, presentations and private screenings. Food and beverage options come from ICON’s Lobby Lounge and catering menu.

• The 427-room Hilton Meadowlands has 29,254 square feet of meeting and event space, with 29 meeting rooms, as well as a business center, exercise room, heated indoor swimming pool, restaurant and Starbucks onsite.

• The 126-room Element New York - Wood Ridge, located in Wood Ridge, has 628 square feet of meeting space. The property offers free daily breakfast and features an indoor swimming pool, fitness center and a rooftop bar.

• The 159-room Hyatt Place Secaucus/Meadowlands, located near the Meadowlands Exposition Center, has two meeting rooms and 1,100 square feet of event space as well as an onsite restaurant.

• The 149-room SpringHill Suites East Rutherford Meadowlands/Carlstadt offers a 380-square-foot meeting room, as well as an indoor swimming pool, fitness center and 24-hour business center. 

• The Meadowlands is a prime spot for birdwatching, and on Oct.1, The Meadowlands Environmental Center will host the Meadowland Birding Festival. Groups can take nature tours of the area around the center year-round.

• American Dream is a three-million-square-foot entertainment and retail complex with attractions and activities for all ages, as well as myriad venues for private group events. The iconic  facility is able to host meetings, conferences, trade shows, award shows, private dinners, parties and buyouts, to name a few possibilities. Among the largest onsite attractions are DreamWorks Water Park, which is billed as the biggest indoor water park in North America, and Nickelodeon Universe, which is advertised as the largest indoor theme park in the Western Hemisphere. Groups can also enjoy sky-high views of the New York City skyline aboard the Dream Wheel, a 300-foot-tall observation wheel with six-person VIP gondolas.

• Groups can take to the ice at the Rink at American Dream, an NHL regulation-sized ice skating rink that’s available for private event rentals. The staff can even change the ice surface to turf or wood, depending on a planner’s needs. The Rink is about to gain an even greater public profile, as it hosts the World Curling Championships from January 29 to February 4, 2024.

• Among the newest group-friendly attractions at American Dream is the Skip Barber Karting Academy, part of a network of driving and racing schools. Groups will be able to take private driving lessons at the 40,000-square-foot facility, which can also be booked for private events.

• Liberty State Park, the vast green space that offers stunning views of the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, will undergo a major upgrade that will make it even more attractive for groups. The three-phase project includes a new nature park area, scenic overlooks, public outdoor amphitheater and athletis facility.

• For a relaxing, nature-filled break from hectic meeting schedules, take an eco-cruise through the Meadowlands Marsh. Hackensack Riverkeeper offers 2.5-hour scenic excursions on the Hackensack River. Each boat accommodates 10 guests, and the outings — which teach participants about the rich local ecosystem while showcasing the region’s natural beauty — can be paired with activities on land as well.  

• The legendary Hudson River provides a picturesque setting for dinner cruises and tours. City Experiences offers a variety of options for groups, including all-inclusive events on the water, complete with chef-prepared menus and bar service. The company’s local fleet ranges from the 120-passenger Hornblower Manhattan and Hornblower Lexington to the 1,000-passenger Hornblower Infinity.

• Groups can hit the lanes at Bowlero, a bowling alley in Wallington with 48 lanes, billiards and pool tables and a sports bar. All spaces are available for partial or full buyouts and catering options range from spring rolls to lamb lollipops to the Behemoth Burger, a six-pound, 14-inch burger piled high with toppings.

• The Liberty Science Center, a 300,000-square-foot museum in Jersey City, features 12 exhibition halls, large aquariums, a 3D theater, a live animal collection with 110 species and what’s described as the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. Planners can make use of venues including a glass-enclosed observation tower, fully equipped theaters and two-story gallery and lobby spaces that accommodate 1,200 guests.

• Planners can take attendees on a trip back in time at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, which is set in a structure resembling an 11th-century castle. Jousting, sword fighting and lively revelry characterize every performance, and groups of 15 or more can join the fun with a variety of packages.

• Groups can satisfy their need for speed at RPM Raceway Jersey City, which offers competitive racing excitement with Italian-made go-karts on a recently upgraded Megatrack, which run more than 2,200 feet. Up to 10 attendees can compete at one time, charging down the track to see who clocks in the fastest lap time. The facility also has racing simulators, arcade games, billiards and a restaurant that specializes in hamburgers, wood-fired pizza, salads and tacos.

• For a peaceful break from faster-paced business and activities, planners might want to treat attendees to some of the region’s natural beauty at Richard W. DeKorte Park, which is part of the Meadowlands District park system. The park has 3.5 miles of walking paths in a setting graced with waterways and wetlands. This is an especially rewarding place for bird watchers; more than 285 species of birds — including egrets, osprey, hawks and blue herons — are among the local residents.

• For a healthy dose of retail therapy, attendees can head to Westfield Garden State Plaza, located in Paramus. Opened in 1957 as the first suburban shopping mall in New Jersey, Westfield Garden State Plaza has transformed into a modern retail center in the 21st century, with an array of international brands represented and major department stores including Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.