(left-to-right) President & Chairman of Devils Arena Entertainment Jeff Vanderbeek, 1 millionth Fan Mark Hoffacker, General Manager Dale Adams and mascot NJ Devil.

Only five months after opening, the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey  reached a major milestone on March 28 when it welcomed its 1 millionth fan before the New Jersey Devils hosted the Philadelphia Flyers. (Devils won, 5-4!) Mark Hoffacker, a New Jersey native and Georgia transplant, flew into Newark to watch his first game in the new building and became the one millionth person to walk through the doors at Prudential Center. Greeted by Jeff Vanderbeek, President & Chairman of Devils Arena Entertainment, Dale Adams, General Manager Prudential Center staff,  and the NJ Devil, (the only team mascot in professional sports born in the N.J. Pine Barrens). Hoffacker was presented with a large commemorative ticket, a hockey stick signed by New Jersey Devils team captain Jamie Langenbrunner and upgraded club level seats at center ice. After interviews with regional TV stations, Hoffacker and his guest were treated to dinner in the venue’s Restaurant and he was featured on several segments of the game’s broadcast on MSG Plus. "It is a great accomplishment for a building this young to have one million visitors in such a short period of time", said Adams. "It’s an honor for us and testament to this city that so many people have chosen Prudential Center for a convenient and exciting sports and entertainment experience." 

The $375 million Prudential Center, the cornerstone in the revitalization and renaissance of downtown Newark, opened in October of 2007. The first new, state-of-the-art facility built in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area in over 25 years, venue seats  17,625 for hockey, 17,500 for soccer, 18,500 for basketball, 17,500+ for end stage concerts and features 76 Luxury Suites, two Event Suites,  two club lounges, a goal bar, terrace area, a 350 seat gourmet restaurant and an adjacent full size practice facility for hockey with 800 seat capacity .