New York Islanders To Submit Belmont Park Bid For New Arena

The New York Islanders are reportedly preparing a bid to submit to the state of New York to make Belmont Park the place for their new home arena.

The New York Islanders are looking for a new place to call home. Their move to the Barclays Center has not panned out as hoped. It isn’t a great place to watch a hockey game, and Barclays Center said they could make more money without the Islanders. As a result, they are looking to end what has been a rocky relationship with the team.

The Islanders will be out of the Barclays Center by 2019, so they will need a place to play after next season. There has been a couple of ideas thrown out, like returning to Nassau Coliseum.

The Islanders called Nassau Coliseum home to the from 1972-2015. They were forced to leave as the Coliseum underwent renovations. It re-opened this spring, and it was reported that they were preparing to allow the Islanders back after renovations were done.

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Even if the Islanders do return there for a period of time, it won’t be permanent. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said that a renovated Nassau Coliseum is not a long-term solution. If that is true, the Islanders need to find a place to move to, and if it is up to them, it could be Belmont Park.

Bettman said Friday that the Islanders are looking into Belmont Park for the site of their new arena. He also said that the Islanders are planning to submit a bid to the state of New York. In addition to Belmont Park, the area around the New York Mets Citi Field in Willets Point has also been discussed as a possible destination.

"“Yes, there is an RFP [request for proposal] for Belmont and I know they are going to participate in that,” Bettman told a group from the The Associated Press Sports Editors in New York, according to Newsday. “I believe that everyone thinks there is a terrific opportunity there, if not at Willets Point, to create a more hockey friendly environment for the Islanders, which is something [Islanders co-owner] Scott [Malkin] is committed to do.”"

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Neither the Islanders or Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment did not comment with Newsday. This will definitely be something to keep an eye on as the Islanders will be playing hockey outside of Brooklyn by 2019. A short-term stay at Nassau Coliseum sounds like it could happen, but the Islanders need to find a long-term home sooner than later.

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