National Basketball Association

Pay more, drink longer at Nets arena?

Published Jun. 7, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

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It'll pay to be loaded if you really want to get loaded at Brooklyn's new Barclays Center.

Patrons splurging big bucks for luxury suites and other prime seating at the house that Jay-Z built will get the added bonus of being served booze up to an hour after arena events end — or as late as 2:00 a.m. local time, arena officials confirmed this week.

That's a far cry from another set of rules for those stuck in the cheap seats, most of which run between $15 and $55 for Nets games.

Those fans will be able to buy booze at food stands or from roving beer vendors only until the start of the fourth quarter of Nets games, as NBA rules require, or an hour before the end of most concerts and other events.

Madison Square Garden practices a more even-handed policy toward drinks, cutting off all booze sales at the same time, based on the event.

"Alcohol service will continue until one hour after the end of NBA games and other events ... for premium, limited-access areas of the arena (including) the suites, clubs and the restaurant," according to William Schrieber, a lawyer for Barclays Center developer Forest City Ratner, in a June 5 letter to Community Board 6.

The arena holds 4,400 premium seats and more than 100 luxury suites, which hold about another 1,000 people — all of whom will have access to the exclusive drinking areas and who will get first crack at limited parking spaces.

The arena has 541 parking spots on site and up to another 2,500 at private lots within a half-mile radius.

About 100 of the luxury suites have an average cost of more than $260,000 a year to lease, but another 11 special suites called "The Vault" — designed by Nets part-owner and rap mogul Jay-Z — run $550,000 a year and are stocked with high-end champagne. Arena premium seats run between $99 and $1,500 for Nets games but can go for much more for top concerts.

The arena drinking plan still needs to be approved by the State Liquor Authority.

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