ICE BREAKERS
Dolan, Wilpons look to help Isles bolt Barclays
Executives of several of New York’s more fortunate franchises are coming together in an attempt to rescue the Islanders from Barclays Center.
The Wilpon family, which owns the Mets, and Knicks and Rangers owner James Dolan are involved in the pair of investment and development groups joining talks with the Islanders on a new arena proposal, according to a Bloomberg report, citing anonymous sources.
While a proposal last summer indicated the Islanders hoped to build their new arena in Queens near Citi Field, the new venture appears to be taking shape around a site near Belmont Park in Elmont, L.I., according to Bloomberg. The land for the reported proposal is owned by the New York Racing Association. It is located about 20 miles outside Manhattan and is much closer to the team’s Nassau County fan base.
The project is being spearheaded by the Islanders, Oak View Group and Sterling Project Development, according to Bloomberg. The Wilpon family controls the Sterling Project Development, while Dolan’s Madison Square Garden Co. is an investor in Oak View Group, a private equity group run by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff.
There is no NHL rule preventing the owner of one team from having a stake in another team’s arena, leaving Dolan within his rights as owner of the Rangers to participate in the rival Islanders’ arena plans.
The Islanders, whose average attendance has fallen to secondworst in the league since the move to Barclays Center ahead of the 2015-16 season, have the option to terminate their lease and leave following next season.
Barclays has been a nightmare for the team, whose players have complained about the ice conditions, and its fans, who claim sight lines are poor in the arena and access for people coming in from Long Island is limited and prohibitively difficult.