Lawsuits Against Islanders' Belmont Park Construction Get Thrown Out

Nonessential construction work has been suspended in New York state since March 27GETTY IMAGES

A New York Supreme Court justice has "tossed out lawsuits filed by the Village of Floral Park and various civic groups trying to reverse state approvals for the new arena" for the Islanders, eliminating all legal challenges to the $1.3B project at Belmont Park, according to Baumbach & Ferrette of NEWSDAY. Justice Roy Mahon ruled that the "village lacked, 'standing to sue for alleged improprieties in the RFP process.'" Mahon also said Floral Park had "not shown that it has suffered an injury in fact distinct from that of the general public." Attorneys representing Floral Park and the civic associations "will have 30 days to appeal Mahon's decision." Work on the arena project "has been suspended" since New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo "stopped all nonessential construction work on March 27 as part of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic." It was "unclear when work at Belmont could resume" (NEWSDAY, 5/16).