Soccer & hockey battle for Belmont at LI hearing

The New York City Football Club and New York Islanders squared off Sunday at a public meeting over their competing plans to redevelop parts of the Belmont Park racetrack into their home turf.

Reps for the NYCFC soccer organization, which currently plays at Yankee Sta- dium in The Bronx, say the team’s plans for a 26,000seat stadium at the Elmont, LI, site would also include 400,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space, 15.3 acres of open space, a 5acre park and a 2-acre soccer facility.

They told elected officials and members of the public who attended the listening session at Elmont HS that their bid would create 4,500 construction jobs and 1,600 retail and stadium jobs.

Meanwhile, the NHL Islanders’ plan for an 18,000seat arena was revealed to include an entertainment hub, hotel and retail village.

Reps for the hockey team, which is seeking to get out of its 25-year lease with Barclays Center in Brooklyn, said their plan would create 5,500 construction jobs and 2,000 full-time gigs.

“This arena will not just host a handful of hockey games,” said Kate Aufhauser, of Sterling Project Development. “This will be programmed for concerts, family shows, trade conventions.”

Both teams have submitted their proposals to the Empire State Development Corp., which is expected to choose the winner within the next few months.