The state of New York's decision to cancel the RFPs to redevelop Belmont Park "might have opened the door" for the Islanders to "come back to Long Island," according to Randi Marshall of NEWSDAY. The Islanders have been "looking for alternatives" to their current home at Barclays Center. Even before the state’s decision to cancel the RFP, the talk of building an arena for the Islanders at Belmont Park had "become visual as well." Renderings have been "drawn depicting a potential arena at some available spots," and there have been "discussions about timetables, construction, financing and what else might be built." Belmont Park and the surrounding land is "owned by New York State, and some of it is leased" by NYRA. An Empire State Development spokesperson said the state is now looking “beyond the scope of the original request.” The withdrawn RFP had "brought in four bidders," including the NASL N.Y. Cosmos. A source said that a decision "might not be far away -- perhaps as soon as a few months" (NEWSDAY, 12/13).
ISLAND OF DESPAIR? In Buffalo, Mike Harrington noted a lot of fans "aren't heading to the Barclays Center" to watch the Islanders. The announced crowd for last Thursday's game against the Blues was 11,178, the "sixth ticket count of the season under 12,000." The in-house crowd was "naturally much less than that." Harrington: "There's obstructed view seats all over the place. There's a truck parked in the corner behind the glass like it's some rink in the Czech Republic. The ice is terrible. All in all, Brooklyn is a complete disaster." Sabres RW Kyle Okposo, who used to play for the Islanders, said the situation "is what it is," and "that's the arena they're in" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/11).
