The NHL has moved seven more Islanders home games to NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum from Barclays Center this season, and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman indicated that the decision came "at the request" of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Islanders, according to Baumbach & Ferrette of NEWSDAY. Bettman said, "The governor has made it a priority to tell me how important it was for the Islanders to begin the transition back to Long Island even sooner." Yesterday's announcement brings the total number of regular season games slated for Nassau to 28, compared with 13 for Barclays Center. Two of the games being moved are against the Rangers, which "easily rank as the most anticipated games of the season by Islanders fans." Last season's split schedule between the two venues, "while unusual, went off smoothly." The Islanders averaged 13,514 for the 21 games at the Coliseum, which holds 13,900. At Barclays, they averaged 11,248 at an arena that holds 15,795. Bettman said that the Islanders have "twice as many season ticket holders as they did a year ago" (NEWSDAY, 9/24). NHL Network's E.J. Hradek: "Having more games at the Nassau Coliseum will be good for the players. It’ll be great for the fans. Then hopefully down the road a couple of years from now, it looks like that new building will be in place, and that will be something special" ("NHL Tonight," NHL Network, 9/23).
NEW DIGS: In N.Y., Allan Kreda notes the Islanders yesterday "finally removed all doubt about their move to Belmont Park, putting shovels into the ground" during a groundbreaking ceremony. The 19,000-seat arena (17,000 for hockey) is "expected to be in use" for the '21-22 NHL season. Cuomo, Bettman and members of the Islanders including co-Owner Jon Ledecky "participated in the groundbreaking ceremony." Ledecky said that the new home rink "would bring stability to the franchise after several seasons of splitting time." The project will also "include about 350,000 square feet of retail space and a 250-room hotel" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/24). NEWSDAY's Baumbach & Ferrette note the groundbreaking "comes during a period of tension between the villages of Floral Park and Elmont and state and county officials over the development." Two lawsuits have been "filed to stop construction on the Belmont project." Ledecky said that the team's fans "deserve a new arena after decades of uncertainty." Construction of the arena, hotel and retail project is handled by the Mets' Wilpon family's Sterling Project Development, which "also built Citi Field" (NEWSDAY, 9/24).
Renderings For Islanders' Belmont Arena
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