The facilities division of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) has been tapped to manage the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, the company announced this week.

The arena is scheduled to open in September 2012, and it will be the new home of the New Jersey Nets basketball team. In addition, the arena will host concerts and other events, and it will have the ability to hold ice hockey games if it can find a team to move there.

AEG Facilities will oversee the operational side of the $1 billion facility, but the venue itself will book acts and sell sponsorship, Bob Newman, who runs AEG's Worldwide Facilities division, told Venues Today.

According to the company, AEG "owns, operates and consults with more than 100 of the industry's preeminent venues worldwide." Among the facilities it runs are the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA; the American Airlines Arena in Miami, FL; and the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX.

Earlier this year, AEG launched a ticketing venture with Outbox Enterprises, but neither the Barclays Center nor AEG/Outbox has disclosed what company will handle ticketing.

Rapper Jay-Z, who owns a piece of the Nets, last month announced that he will be the first act to perform at the arena when it opens next year. He has a 10-year, "360-degree" contract with AEG competitor Live Nation that includes touring, recording, licensing and merchandising; Live Nation owns ticketing company Ticketmaster, but the company has not announced plans to ticket the Barclays.

AT&T Center general manager John Sparks will be the GM of the Barclays, and AEG regional directors Steve Rosebrook and David Anderson will assist Sparks, according to the company.

Sparks takes over the Barclays GM post from Alex Diaz, who earlier this year was hired by Madison Square Garden (MSG) as senior vice president and general manager to oversee MSG's extensive renovation project.