EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Meadowlands Arena, once the home of professional basketball and hockey showdowns, is staging an atypical second act.

Aging stadiums are usually demolished after their expiration date; like plastic bags, they can be tedious to recycle. And in the New York area, several newer or renovated venues canceled out the need for a concrete cavern that dated back to 1981.

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority technically closed Meadowlands Arena, last known as the Izod Center, in early 2015.

But on a November afternoon inside the arena, next to where the Nets guard Jason Kidd routinely blew kisses in the air before shooting free throws, workers were constructing a prison interview room.