PUCK YEAH!
Gov: Everyone wins with Islanders at Belmont
BYE-BYE, BROOKLYN. Hello, Belmont. The New York Islanders made their homecoming official Wednesday, announcing a deal with the state to pay for a new arena at Belmont Raceway and face off once again in Nassau County.
“When the Islanders left, they left a hole in the heart of Long Island,” Gov. Cuomo said Wednesday at a star-studded raceway announcement.
“Today is a win-win-win for the community. (Belmont Park) is an asset that has been underutilized for years. It’s a big win for the fans. This will be more of a full-game experience. It’s a win for the team. They will have their own arena — a full, 18,000-seat arena for the Islanders, designed by the Islanders.”
Cuomo was joined by current and former Islanders players, including team captain John Tavares.
The governor signed hockey pucks with a Sharpie, and posed for pictures holding jerseys with Long Island’s own Billy Joel.
According to the governor’s office, the $1 billion redevelopment of Belmont Park will be privately funded by the Islanders and the Oak View Group, whose investors include Madison Square Garden Co., owned by James Dolan, and Mets owner Sterling Equities, which was founded by Fred Wilpon.
The Islanders will have a 49-year lease with renewal options valued at $40 million.
Anchoring the new project will be an 18,000-seat arena that will host other events, including concerts, college sports and conferences.
The development will feature a full-service hotel with views of the racetrack, which is home to the third leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
“For our fans, this day is for you,” said Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky.
“You’ve been passionate supporters of the team, both on and off the ice. Today is a huge day for this franchise and you deserve it more than anyone else.”
Not since the Islanders won the last of four Stanley Cups in a row in 1983 have Nassau and Suffolk county fans been so excited about their team.
Starting in 1972, the team played in the Nassau Coliseum before a 2015 move to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
The Islanders hope to break ground on the arena in the spring of 2018, with the building expected to open in 2020.
But eager fans may not have to wait that long to see the team skate on Long Island ice.
Cuomo has asked NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to allow the Islanders to play some home games at Nassau Coliseum until the new site at Belmont is completed.