{"id":46897,"date":"2017-10-11T07:46:01","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T07:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=46897"},"modified":"2017-10-11T07:46:01","modified_gmt":"2017-10-11T07:46:01","slug":"islanders-singular-focus-new-arena-belmont-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/islanders-singular-focus-new-arena-belmont-park.html","title":{"rendered":"Islanders\u2019 \u2018Singular Focus\u2019 Is New Arena at Belmont Park"},"content":{"rendered":"

Islanders\u2019 \u2018Singular Focus\u2019 Is New Arena at Belmont Park<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Islanders\u2019 \u2018Singular Focus\u2019 Is New Arena at Belmont Park:-Jon Ledecky, a co-owner of the Islanders, made his strongest statements yet that the team intends to leave Barclays Center in Brooklyn and hopes to build an arena near Belmont Park racetrack, for which New York State recently accepted proposals to redevelop.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the singular focus of playing at Belmont Park,\u201d Ledecky said Tuesday at a news media gathering in Midtown Manhattan. \u201cEverything else about going here, there and everywhere else is absolute noise to us at this point.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ledecky, who took over majority ownership of the Islanders with his partner Scott Malkin in July 2016, said the team would continue to play at Barclays Center for at least the next two seasons. The Islanders moved to Brooklyn in 2015 after 43 years at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Barclays Center was not constructed with hockey in mind, and attendance and fan engagement have been disappointing. With their Belmont Park bid, the Islanders proposed a modern hockey home, like the new arenas in Detroit and Edmonton.<\/span><\/p>\n

A spokeswoman for Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, which runs Barclays Center, declined to comment on Ledecky\u2019s remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Islanders are combining forces with the owners of the Mets and the Oak View Group, an investment advisory firm led by Tim Leiweke, the former president and chief executive of the sports and entertainment conglomerate AEG. Among the founders of Oak View Group is Irving Azoff, the entertainment executive who has a partnership with Madison Square Garden Company.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ledecky said the costs of an arena and what percentage the Islanders might own had not been determined.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s much better to say we are linked up with these two terrific organizations that understand how to build an arena,\u201d he said. \u201cThe fact that the Mets have endorsed us financially and say that Belmont Park is the best option, that sends a very strong message as well that we\u2019re making the right decision here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Islanders have until Jan. 1 to forge a new deal with Barclays, and, if no new deal is reached, either side can opt out of the current deal by Jan. 30.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Islanders could choose to leave after this season at the earliest; if Barclays Center triggered the opt-out, however, the Islanders would not have to leave until after the 2018-19 season.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis year and next year, contractually, we are mutually obligated to play at Barclays,\u201d Ledecky said. \u201cNext year we will play at Barclays by contract.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As far as where the Islanders might play in the 2019-20 season if a new arena is not ready, Ledecky said discussions were continuing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe contract, which has been in the public domain, says there are good faith negotiations going on that would include factors like that,\u201d he added. \u201cBut we\u2019re focused on getting that shovel in the ground and moving forward on Belmont.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Islanders returned to the renovated Nassau Coliseum for a sold-out preseason game on Sept. 17, but N.H.L. Commissioner Gary Bettman has been adamant that the Coliseum, which has a capacity of less than 14,000 for hockey, is not a practical home for the team.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ledecky said Barclays Center was a good home for now and agreed with Bettman regarding the cozy Coliseum.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBarclays is a wonderful place, but unfortunately at the time it was built, they decided not to configure it for hockey,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd Nassau Coliseum is a lovely spot, but the commissioner of the N.H.L. is on public record saying it is not viable for an N.H.L. team. So that wouldn\u2019t be a home either. We have to have a focus on a place that will be our home. That\u2019s Belmont Park.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Islanders will most likely also take into consideration how their pursuit of a new arena deal might affect their ability to re-sign their captain, John Tavares, whose six-year, $33 million contract expires after this season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Islanders General Manager Garth Snow said he would not speculate on how the negotiations might evolve during the season. Tavares, 27, could become a free agent July 1. Snow said discussions would remain private between himself, Tavares and the player\u2019s agent, Pat Brisson.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ledecky said he did not know the timetable for the state\u2019s decision on the site. New York City F.C. of Major League Soccer is among the other groups to submit a proposal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe obviously would hope it would be sooner rather than later, and we would hope that our proposal is the best proposal,\u201d Ledecky said. \u201cWe don\u2019t know if they\u2019ve received three or 10 or five. We certainly put a lot of time and effort into a first-class presentation. We were thoughtful. We want Belmont to be our permanent home. \u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/10\/10\/sports\/hockey\/islanders-barclays-center-belmont-park.html<\/span><\/p>\n

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