It’s definitely Belmont or bust for the New York Islanders now.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman twice reiterated the league’s support for the team to build an arena at Belmont Park this week.
Bettman first commented on the topic at a league event at the Paley Center in New York on Tuesday and answered Mike Francesa’s question on the topic Thursday on WFAN.
“This is it,… he said of the Belmont location. “And we believe this will work, and our hope is that the RFP goes through, that the Islanders — Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky — are granted the rights to build the building.…
The Islanders submitted their RFP the end of September. There is no timetable for the state to release the results.
For Bettman to talk so confidently about the Islanders chances means that are likely to be awarded the bid and not leave the area.
“Scott Malkin bought the team to have the team in New York,… he said. “He didn’t buy the team to have it anywhere else.…
The commish said that the arena could be built under three years. If the RFP is awarded in the next few months and shovel is in ground by fall, The Islanders will need a home for two seasons. Ledecky announced that the team will play at Barclays for the 2018-19 season. Bettman said that he expects the team to play in Brooklyn until the new arena is built.
As for the Belmont arena, “They’ll probably build it in the (17,500 seating capacity) range, which is perfect for hockey. It’ll be designed for a hockey team. It’ll also be a venue, I believe, (for) concerts and basketball. And it’ll be great for Long Island.…
The fan base needs this. Anytime the Islanders are mentioned in the national media it’s about the arena or John Tavares’s contract. This team is good. About time they start talking about the product on the ice and not the ice quality.