NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman informed the media on Friday that the New York Islanders will submit a bid to build a new arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY, via Newsday’s Mike Rose, Jim Baumbach, and Robert Brodsky.
The area next to Citi Field at Willets Point in Flushing is also an option.
For the Long Islanders hoping for a return to the newly-renovated Nassau Coliseum, Bettman provided some bad news as he stated that the venue is “not a long-term option.”
The Islanders current home, the Barclays Center, has not been a very hospitable base for the franchise.
There were constant issues with the ice surface while fans had to contend with thousands of obstructed-view seats.
It reflected in their turnout as the Islanders’ attendance for home games was ranked 28th out of 30 NHL teams.
Barclays Center and the Islanders have an opt-out clause within their 25-year deal which can be taken in January.
Belmont Park is just a 7.4-mile drive down Hempstead Turnpike from the Nassau Coliseum, so fans yearning for the team to move closer toward its original fanbase could be more content with an arena there.
If the bid is accepted and the Islanders do get permission to build a new arena, the Nassau Coliseum could provide a temporary home as the venue is being finished.
