40/40 club
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A year ago, Jay-Z made the tough call of closing up shop of his original 40/40 Club in Midtown Manhattan. But it seems like that will not be the end of Hova’s fancy big boys club as he seems to be planning on popping up shop at a new location.
According to People, the certified billionaire has an eye on a few different spaces in New York City to bring back his adored establishment. Though nothing is set in concrete as of yet, his team is planning on breaking ground sometime in 2025. The news comes on the heels of Jay-Z’s weekend soiree at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center, where with the help of Fanatics Fest NYC, the Hip-Hop mogul held a 40/40-ish type of affair where he was joined by some of the biggest names in pop culture and a few of his Hip-Hop peers.
Though details are scarce about where they’ll be trying to land their new iteration of the 40/40 Club, the club’s Vice President of operations Sheldon Robinson revealed that they’re hoping to get things underway sooner than later.
People reports:
The new club, which will be located somewhere in New York City, has been a passion project for Jay-Z after the original Manhattan location closed in August 2023 following 20 years of operation.
“Jay definitely wants to keep it as part of his legacy,” Robinson said, confirming that the rapper has been “very involved” in the process. Robinson revealed Jay-Z has “been at site locations and in meetings” as the vision for the future takes place.
Calling Jay-Z “one of the smartest people I’ve ever worked for,” Robinson marveled at his ability to constantly turn his business ideas into reality.
Between a new 40/40 Club and the casino that Jay and his partners are trying to open up in Times Square, Hova seems like he’s once again trying to take over New York City but in a way that doesn’t involve rapping.
What do y’all think about Jay-Z bringing back the 40/40 Club? Would y’all check out his new remixed version of his old establishment? Let us know in the comments section below.
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JAY-Z’s 40/40 Club is set to make a return after being closed for years. The space will be reimagined at the upcoming Fanatics Fest NYC.
From August 16-18, the Javits Center in New York City will host Fanatics Fest NYC, a premier immersive sports festival. The event is being billed as the first-ever immersive sports expo where fandom, culture and collective meet. The 40/40 Club pop-up will offer a one-of-a-kind experience that captures its iconic blend of sports and luxury. This exclusive, invite-only lounge will be open to notable athletes, celebrities, and Fanatics Sportsbook VIP customers, recreating the club’s atmosphere with framed jerseys, grand chandeliers, stadium seating, and gourmet bites inspired by its original menu.
Attendees will have the chance to meet their sports heroes, hunt for rare memorabilia, score exclusive drops, and participate in interactive experiences like the NFL 40-yard dash, MLB home-run derby simulations, and WWE superstar entrances. The festival will feature appearances by legends such as Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, Kevin Durant, Peyton and Eli Manning, Carmelo Anthony, and many more. The 40/40 Club is named after baseball’s elite group of players who have hit 40 home runs and stolen 40 bases in a single season. With only five members, including Ronald Acuña Jr. (2023), the club sets a benchmark for power and speed. Cofounded by JAY-Z, Juan Perez, and Desiree Perez in New York in 2003, this premier venue features luxurious decor, iconic sports memorabilia, and large screen TVs for top sporting events. The 40/40 Club will reopen at a new venue in New York in 2025.
Fanatics Fest NYC tickets are now on sale at www.fanaticsfest.com starting at $20 for kids and $50 for adults.
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When Jay-Z opened the doors to his 40/40 Club back in 2003, it was an immediate hit with the good people of New York and his celebrity pals alike. But alas, all good things come to an end. After two decades of good times, the 40/40 Club will now be closing up shop… kinda.
Eater New York is reporting that the club that was once the place to be will be shutting down its Midtown Manhattan location and popping back up elsewhere come 2024. The move comes a decade after the 40/40 Club underwent a $10 million renovation to help it compete with the newer clubs that were all the rage in the Big Apple. But like all things Hip-Hop, the newer generation tends to gravitate to the latest and more spectacular show in town.
Eater New York reports:
Over time, the 40/40 Club grew into a small chain of bars and restaurants. There were five at peak: The original in Flatiron, a sports lounge in Las Vegas, a club in Atlantic City, a bar at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, and a restaurant at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Las Vegas location closed in 2008, a year after opening, and its Atlantic City club followed in 2013: A lawsuit claimed the company owed more than $115,000 in unpaid rent and other charges.
The 40/40 Club at Barclays Center remains open following the Manhattan closure, according to Jake Spitz, a spokesperson for the Brooklyn arena.
This isn’t the only hospitality project Jay-Z has been a part of in New York City. The rapper was formerly involved with the West Village restaurant the Spotted Pig before it closed in 2020. His real estate company, SCC Greenwich Realty, sold its longtime home for $7.5 million in 2022.
If we’ve learned nothing else it’s that Jay-Z will cut his losses in search of the next and bigger bag.
No word on where Jay-Z may open up the new and surely improved 40/40 Club, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s in close proximity to that casino he’s trying to bring to Times Square. The man didn’t become a billionaire just by selling records, b.
What do y’all think? Where should the next 40/40 Club open up? Should it get a name change too? Let us know in the comments section below.
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