Tami Brown — owner of newly opened Loft 47, one of several restaurants sitting about a Deron Williams pass away from Newark’s Prudential Center — admits she has no definitive way to gauge what effect the NBA lockout will have on her business. Loft 47 has not been open during an NBA season yet.
“There’s no doubt we benefit from any event at Prudential Center. The lockout definitely matters to us and impacts those days when games are played,” said Brown, who routinely adds “five, five and five” employees — servers, bartenders, kitchen help — when full crowds are expected because of events at The Rock.
Right there, even if part-time, 15 jobs are affected by the lockout. And that is just one establishment. Yes, the players will miss paychecks and the owners will miss concession takes, but the lockout has an unending trickle-down effect for arena workers and businesses.
It’s the same with other area establishments. Brick City Bar and Grill, with a successful four-year run near the Prudential Center, also adds help on game nights, according to co-owner Brian Karwoski.
Tom Blume, the general manager of the nearby Edison Ale House, said at least 10 additional workers, mainly servers and bartenders, are used for games.
“Any traffic to the area is beneficial,” Blume said. “Obviously, we don’t want to rely on any one crowd, but we do well with basketball, hockey, concerts. Location, location, location.”
But he is possibly being hurt by lockout, lockout, lockout.
Last week, mayors from 14 cities — including former All-Stars Kevin Johnson of Sacramento and Detroit’s Dave Bing — sent a “plea letter” to NBA commissioner David Stern and Players Association head Billy Hunter. According to The (Salt Lake City) Deseret News, the mayors asked both sides to consider
livelihoods that could be devastated by a lost season.
“Unfortunately, lost in the debate over a new NBA collective bargaining agreement has been the perspective of [our] residents and the negative impact a canceled season might have on them, our cities and our local economies,” claimed the letter, also signed by mayors from Indianapolis, Orlando, Fla., Memphis, Tenn., Washington, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, N.C., Salt Lake City, San Antonio and Denver.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker has watched the dispute with more than a passing interest. Much of the impressive rebirth of downtown Newark is connected to the sports, arts and entertainment fields.
“Newark restaurants and our local economy have greatly benefited by having the Nets play in the state-of-the-art Prudential Center. NBA basketball in Newark has been a slam dunk win for our city,” Booker said. “We hope the NBA and its players union are able to swiftly resolve their differences so the games can go on.”
The local business can remain packed for 41 nights.
Karwoski noted how those 41 nights might not be lost because other events could be scheduled on Nets nights. The big nights at Brick City are for Seton Hall basketball games anyway.
“I think basketball in general will suffer,” Karwoski said. “There is a fine line between the loyal fans and those turned off by the lockout. The game is in danger of losing those fans.”
Fans like Renato Reboa of Bloomfield, N.J., a frequent attendee at Nets games with his 11-year-old son, Rob. Besides tickets, Reboa routinely spends $60-$80 per game with his son.
“We look forward to going. I would miss it,” Reboa said. “But I wouldn’t be devastated.”
fred.kerber@nypost.com