He’s not “Chairman of the Board” like that other New York music superstar, but Jay-Z can now call himself “Director of the Arena.”
“D-boy who infiltrated all the corporate dudes” added another title to his already impressive resume. He’s listed under his real name of Shawn Carter as a “director” for the Brooklyn Arena LLC, the company that runs Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
The new title emerged in papers filed by arena developer Forest City Ratner Cos. in its bid to secure a liquor license for the future home of the Brooklyn Nets.
As one of seven directors, the rapper and music mogul will attend board meetings and help direct arena senior staff on daily operations, Barclays Center officials confirmed today.
He’s already helped the Nets design the team’s Brooklyn logos and its yet-to-be-released jerseys. And he was especially hands-on in designing 11 luxury arena suites called “The Vault.”
For the suites — which run $550,000 each — Jay-Z’s fingerprints are everywhere. He even helped choose the high-end forks, napkins and champagne that will be served.
Jay-Z in a minority investor in the Brooklyn Nets, the former New Jersey franchise that’s set to play its first games in the 718 this fall.
Arena brass declined to comment on whether he has any interest in the arena.
Jay-Z is listed as an arena director along with Forest City CEO Bruce Ratner, David Berliner, Mary Anne Gilmartin, Christophe Charlier, Irina Pavlova and David Carlock.
Pavlova is Nets majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s right-hand woman in the United States and president of his Onexim Sports and Entertainment Holding USA, Inc. She was the team’s rep at the recent NBA draft lottery.
Berliner and Gilmartin are top officials in Ratner’s development company, while Charlier and Carlock are top officials with Onexim.
The Russian oligarch Prokhorov owns 80 percent of the Nets and also has a 45 percent share in the arena.
The news of Jay-Z’s new title emerged as arena officials confirmed that they would extend drinking hours at the Barclays for their big spenders.
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 a.m., arena officials confirmed last week.
The arena-drinking plan still needs to be approved by the State Liquor Authority.
The news that Jay-Z is a director for the arena was first reported by the blog Atlantic Yards Report.