New Islanders arena headed for vote

[strahanfan92]

The Islanders' prayers for a new arena may finally be answered -- keeping the team on Long Island.

A sweeping plan is to be announced today under which the aging Nassau Coliseum would be torn down and replaced by a facility that would be built on the site, along with new housing units and a baseball field, sources said.
Officials from the team will join Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano for a morning news conference to unveil plans for a public referendum on whether to raze the 39-year-old Coliseum.

Officials with knowledge of the plan said the price could reach up to $500 million, 20 percent more than Mangano's $400 million estimate just last month.

Scrapped from the proposal was a public-private partnership with the Shinnecock Indian Nation to develop a gaming casino on the land that surrounds the arena.

Civic, religious and business leaders had lined up with Hofstra University against a casino, fearing it could lower the quality of life in the community.
County officials instead will sign off on a plan for the Shinnecocks to open up shop at Belmont Park.

"A project of this magnitude would create thousands of jobs, generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue annually and would increase tourism in Nassau County," Mangano said in his state-of-the-county speech last month. "Best yet, it would help keep our New York Islanders here in Nassau County."

Islanders' owner Charles Wang has said he is exploring all options, including pulling the team out of the area if a new arena isn't built. Kansas City has been one rumored destination.

The arena plan is not going over without a hitch. Shinnecock leaders say they believe they've been body checked. A source with the tribe said leaders were "disappointed at the abandonment" of the county's proposal.
The source said the Belmont Park endorsement would set up a "war" with Genting International, the group that is running slot machines at Aqueduct Raceway.


Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/islan...#ixzz1M3zAcPex

Doubt it. Long Island people are struggling enough already with high taxes, doubt they'll approve this.

[NAHSTE]

Brooklyn already has one waiting for them a little further inland.

[PP]

Islanders suck, and the whole area the stadium is in is a dump and not easy to get to via public transit. Time to move.

[Ravin]

Islanders are not moving. Maybe within Long Island, but they will be the New York Islanders. I can't see them moving a team with that much history in it. Plus, the team is fairly young and should be coming around soon. Their goalie issue is a nightmare, but the team its self is full of good young guys who want to be there. If I remember correct, Islanders were doing fairly well up until the goalie shit happened, then they fell. But as I said, they are young and need to learn the ways.

As for the arena, well they really need a new one badly and I hope they get it. I just want to know where they play their games out of once they rip this down. MSG? Or some other New York/New Jersey arena. I can't see the move to Kansas City happening though.

[NAHSTE]

Islanders are not moving. Maybe within Long Island, but they will be the New York Islanders. I can't see them moving a team with that much history in it. Plus, the team is fairly young and should be coming around soon. Their goalie issue is a nightmare, but the team its self is full of good young guys who want to be there. If I remember correct, Islanders were doing fairly well up until the goalie shit happened, then they fell. But as I said, they are young and need to learn the ways.

As for the arena, well they really need a new one badly and I hope they get it. I just want to know where they play their games out of once they rip this down. MSG? Or some other New York/New Jersey arena. I can't see the move to Kansas City happening though.

The Barclay's Center in Brooklyn will be supposedly be ready by summer of next year.

[strahanfan92]

I would assume they'll keep it up until the new one is finished building.

[Dan The Man]

They should just use DiPietro's contract to pay for it.

[Pills]

Plenty of buses go there, but it's not near any train station. A few years back, there was talk of a light rail to go around the hub area (Hofstra, NCC, Nassau Coliseum, Roosevelt Field, probably a few other stops, possibly near a train station).

Glad they got rid of the casino from the proposal.

Mangano, or esteemed County Executive, came from the "Tax Revolt" party. I'm *really* wondering how he justifies this. He's already had to have an independent party take over the finances.

That all being said, something needs to be done in that area. I like the idea of a minor league baseball field, assuming they can attract a team.

From Newsday:

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/coliseum-revenue-share-short-on-detail-1.2870340

Nassau residents may not know all the details of a revenue-sharing agreement to build a new home for the New York Islanders before they cast their ballots on the plan by Aug. 1, county officials said Wednesday.
If the county Legislature approves, residents will go to the polls then to vote on a referendum that would allow Nassau to borrow up to $400 million to construct a new hockey arena next to the Nassau Coliseum and a minor-league ballpark at nearby Mitchel Field.
However, the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, a state watchdog which controls the county's finances, saying it was "deeply concerned about the county executive's proposal and its fiscal implications for the county."
VIDEO: Wang, Mangano discuss new plans for Coliseum
BLOGS: Isles Files | Staple's Center Ice
NIFA, which would have to approve the borrowing, said there was "no coordination ... regarding this major proposal ...
"As we await necessary information from the county regarding the 2011 and 2012 budgets, NIFA requires details of this new plan, which must be evaluated in the context of the county's fiscal crisis, the wage freeze on county employees and the reductions in services to county residents," the statement said.
Discussion of the borrowing arrangements came as Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and Islanders owner Charles Wang announced a new effort to renovate the aging Coliseum.
During a news conference at the Coliseum, Mangano explained that the teams would compensate residents by paying the county a share of each dollar generated at the two new facilities.
The revenue-sharing agreement, coupled with sales tax revenue generated from the new facilities and the 3,300 new construction jobs, would offset and likely exceed the costs of the borrowing, officials said.
"In short, this plan requires private-sector operators to compensate the county the costs of financing the plan," Mangano said.
But he repeatedly suggested that the plan "is intended to not cost taxpayers a single dime."
However, pressed for details about the revenue-sharing agreement -- and whether those figures would be available to the public before the August vote -- Mangano said, "If it can be done, it will be."
Neither Mangano nor Wang was able to provide specific dollar figures regarding what county residents should expect back in return for the $400 million bonding approval.
Mangano said Nassau would first need to commit to building and financing a new Islanders arena and baseball park before revenue-sharing agreements can be finalized.
"We will not entertain any contractual relationships that do not produce annual recurring revenue sharing from their operations," Mangano said.

[DJ Fog]

Just glad it won't be a casino!