NEW YORK (AP) — After decades without a professional sports team, New York City's ascendant borough is hitting the major leagues again on Friday when the Brooklyn Nets' new arena opens to the public.
The 18,000-seat arena will be officially christened Saturday night with a rap concert by Nets co-owner and native Brooklynite Jay-Z.
The opening of the Barclays Center is a symbol of Brooklyn's astonishing rise in recent years as a sought-after destination for people from all over the globe.
And it's vindication for old fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the baseball team that fled New York City in 1957 for Los Angeles.
The city is banking on Brooklynites' deep-rooted sense of borough pride to win over new Nets fans.
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