While the Islanders will be playing their home games in Brooklyn, they are still going to have a presence on Long Island.
#FINAL FANTASY ORCHESTRA 2016 NASSAU COUNTY PROFESSIONAL#
"The arena itself will have to pass an inspection to see if professional hockey can be played there, so there is another step and that step would be the inspection and approval at the time that the Coliseum is completed." "They're obligated under the contract, but beyond that you have to fulfill the terms," Mangano said. There has been some speculation as to whether or not the NHL will allow it, but Mangano believes it will happen. The agreement between Ratner and the county includes the return of the Islanders to the Coliseum for a total of six games a year, including two pre-season games. The arena is also expected to host college basketball and hockey, boxing and a minor league hockey team, possibly the Islanders' AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The first event in the new Coliseum is expected to be a University of Kentucky basketball game in December 2016. "Many of the people that attend the Coliseum also patronize local restaurants and that creates economic activity and it supports jobs well beyond the Coliseum property." "It's an important venue for our county," Mangano said. Had the arena simply closed and torn down, it could have had a catastrophic impact on the region. It will make a positive economic impact on the county. When the Coliseum re-opens, it will once again become a destination for a variety of entertainment options. While the building is closed for renovations, Long Island residents will have to travel to other venues in Brooklyn, Manhattan, or even New Jersey to see sporting events, concerts, and family shows. "The seats can be added back in should they be necessary to accommodate a future Islander commitment to the Coliseum."Įven without the Islanders, a new Coliseum is still important for the community.
"The footprint of the arena is not changing," Mangano said. Though that would not be enough to host an NHL franchise, there is room for expansion down the road if needed. Under the plan, the Coliseum will be downsized to 13,000 seats. Nassau Events Center LLC, a subsidiary company of Forest City Ratner, plans on spending $260.5 million, including $91 million from Chinese investors, to transform the Coliseum and develop a retail and entertainment complex on the surrounding property. "It's the most important economic development project that we have here in the county and re-developing the hub which has languished for well over a decade." "I'm thrilled that the Coliseum plan is moving forward," said Mangano. The building is now closed and has been undergoing environmental studies in anticipation of the beginning of renovations.Ĭome December 2016, Nassau County will finally have a state-of-the-art arena that will host more than 250 events each year, as opposed to about 110 events a year at the old Coliseum. 1, control of the arena shifted to Ratner, who promoted the final event at the "old" Coliseum, a Billy Joel concert on Aug. "I think that this arena is going to be very attractive to professional sports."
"I certainly do believe that we will see the return of the Islanders at some point," Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano said during a recent exclusive interview with. Well, now that agreements with labor unions are in place, work on renovating the Coliseum will soon begin courtesy of Barclays Center developer Bruce Ratner.Īfter years and years of failed attempts to either renovate the Coliseum or build a new arena, a new building is on the horizon and one person in particular is keeping his fingers crossed that the Islanders will be back. A Game 7 loss in Washington signaled the end of the Islanders' 43-year run at "The Barn" and reality set in that the team would next call Brooklyn home.īut ever since the Islanders announced in September 2012 that they would be relocated to the Barclays Center, there have been many people that have speculated that perhaps, if a new facility ever became reality, one day the franchise would return to Long Island. The Islanders played their final game at Nassau Coliseum on April 25, a 3-1 win over the Capitals in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. As the Islanders get ready for their first season at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, their former home sits quietly back on Long Island prepping for a long-awaited facelift.
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