News Article: Brooklyn/Belmont Arena Discussion (Islanders to play 20 games at NVMC)

[Steve55]

https://libn.com/2018/03/22/arena-plan-opponents-to-voice-dissent-at-belmont-hearing/

'By: David Winzelberg March 22, 2018

Empire State Development Corp. is organizing two meetings at the Elmont Public Library, one at 3:30 p.m. and another at 6:30 p.m., as part of the proposed project’s environmental review process.

The plan, from New York Arena Partners, aims to build an 18,000-seat arena for the New York Islanders, a 250-room hotel and 435,000 square feet of restaurants and retail shops on a portion of the race track’s parking lots.

So far, two groups have questioned the proposal and its approvals process. One is the Belmont Park Community Coalition, which has retained attorney Norman Siegel, former director of the American Civil Liberties Union, to help fight the plan. Siegel is scheduled to speak at the evening scoping session on Thursday.

Another group, Reinvent Albany, has also issued a statement questioning the public costs related to the arena development...'

 

[MJF]

https://libn.com/2018/03/22/arena-plan-opponents-to-voice-dissent-at-belmont-hearing/

'By: David Winzelberg March 22, 2018

Empire State Development Corp. is organizing two meetings at the Elmont Public Library, one at 3:30 p.m. and another at 6:30 p.m., as part of the proposed project’s environmental review process.

The plan, from New York Arena Partners, aims to build an 18,000-seat arena for the New York Islanders, a 250-room hotel and 435,000 square feet of restaurants and retail shops on a portion of the race track’s parking lots.

So far, two groups have questioned the proposal and its approvals process. One is the Belmont Park Community Coalition, which has retained attorney Norman Siegel, former director of the American Civil Liberties Union, to help fight the plan. Siegel is scheduled to speak at the evening scoping session on Thursday.

Another group, Reinvent Albany, has also issued a statement questioning the public costs related to the arena development...'

Norman Siegel? Impressive. Colossal waste of money but impressive.

 

[eoin92]

Norman Siegel? Impressive. Colossal waste of money but impressive.

These people are not concerned with wasting money. This is Nassau county.

 

[Bood12]

It's all about building a winning team.

Topeka, Kansas could support a NHL team if all they had was a winner to watch, it is all about getting a good crowd if the team is mediocre and average and respectable attendance if the team is lousy

You're missing the bigger picture here. The Islanders will get money from everything related to the arena, something that wasn't true at the Coliseum. So even if the Islanders aren't successful at first, if the arena/development is, that benefits the Islanders owners who can then invest into the team if they choose. People will be more excited to go to events when there's more to do than just sit in a parking lot.

well hope you are right, cuz I am guessing the attendance is going to be consistently awful at this place, but if they are able to stay afloat and get a max salary cap team and make Ledecky and Malkin a little money in the process so be it, and if it is really looking like a train station is a pipe dream, how about scrapping all the plans and knocking down the current Coliseum and building a new arena there, I thought the only actual incentive to this place was its chance of a train close by so you can get people from all over the Metro area to come to a game.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I can't wait to hear all the excuses about Belmont attendance from the people who constantly highlighted and laughed at Barclays attendance.

 

[periferal]

My only concern with Belmont is that the railroad extended service won’t happen. At the end of the day people will just have to car pool or uber. Most nights the 7,000 something spots will be enough

While getting a full-time LIRR stop at Belmont would be awesome, can someone explain to me why it's a big deal if they don't? We all went to Nassau Coliseum for 40 years with no train stop and, other than the bathrooms, all seemed to work out fine.

 

[periferal]

These people are not concerned with wasting money. This is Nassau county.

If it's to do something positive that pushes the community or human race forward - You won't get a dime.

If it's to keep things from changing at all - They'll spend until they're broke.


Think about it.

 

[MJF]

I can't wait to hear all the excuses about Belmont attendance from the people who constantly highlighted and laughed at Barclays attendance.

I can’t wait to see people who wanted the team to stay at Barclays Center eat a shitburger when the team moves into Belmont Park.

Too bad people like you will never grow up and stop playing tit for tat on this issue.

 

[eoin92]

While getting a full-time LIRR stop at Belmont would be awesome, can someone explain to me why it's a big deal if they don't? We all went to Nassau Coliseum for 40 years with no train stop and, other than the bathrooms, all seemed to work out fine.

It boggles my mind that they never made tracks that run north-south on the island. It won’t affect me either way, it’ll be the same as taking the train to Brooklyn for me. I’ll have to take the train all the way to Jamaica and then hop a different train to the arena. Driving, however, should be easier than driving to Brooklyn.

 

[eoin92]

If it's to do something positive that pushes the community or human race forward - You won't get a dime.

If it's to keep things from changing at all - They'll spend until they're broke.


Think about it.

These are the sample people that would block a plan to keep the island from sinking into the Atlantic.

 

[MJF]

These people are not concerned with wasting money. This is Nassau county.

Then they must all be wiping their asses with 50s because I haven’t seen where a law was broken yet.

 

[Bones45]

I can’t wait to see people who wanted the team to stay at Barclays Center eat a ****burger when the team moves into Belmont Park.

Too bad people like you will never grow up and stop playing tit for tat on this issue.

I don't think there is one person here who wanted them to stay at Barclays under the current conditions. Cept maybe that toolbag Bert Marshall Days.

 

[MJF]

While getting a full-time LIRR stop at Belmont would be awesome, can someone explain to me why it's a big deal if they don't? We all went to Nassau Coliseum for 40 years with no train stop and, other than the bathrooms, all seemed to work out fine.

It’s not just about LIRR to the arena events. Belmont retail/entertainment will be a 365 day a year destination. The developers want to offer more than just one mode of transportation there. Full time LIRR service with a park n ride is also the bone that would likely win over the Elmont/Franklin Square residents.

 

[eoin92]

Then they must all be wiping their asses with 50s because I haven’t seen where a law was broken yet.

I think they’re grasping at straws. The money is coming from somewhere. I don’t think the average person living in Elmont and some of the surrounding areas are affording this particular attorney. I can’t imagine what his retainer is.

 

[Steve55]

Then they must all be wiping their asses with 50s because I haven’t seen where a law was broken yet.

 

[MJF]

I don't think there is one person here who wanted them to stay at Barclays under the current conditions. Cept maybe that toolbag Bert Marshall Days.

And Bood, Lord ar War, and a few others on twitter.

 

[Bones45]

I think the LIRR access part is being overblown.

Yes, it would be ideal to get full access into Belmont from the East -- without cutting back from Jamaica, but that just probably aint gunna happen. The station and tracks would be upgraded to handle the volume.

I would think as long as I could catch a train westbound -- to Jamaica...and then that same train circle back to Belmont -- that would be fine. If I have to change trains at Jamaica for a 6 minute ride to Belmont, then that would suck.

 

[Steve55]

It boggles my mind that they never made tracks that run north-south on the island. It won’t affect me either way, it’ll be the same as taking the train to Brooklyn for me. I’ll have to take the train all the way to Jamaica and then hop a different train to the arena. Driving, however, should be easier than driving to Brooklyn.

Hopefully Isles operate shuttle buses (10 minute gaps) between either Bellerose or Floral Park to Belmont Park Arena during event days

 

[MJF]

I think they’re grasping at straws. The money is coming from somewhere. I don’t think the average person living in Elmont and some of the surrounding areas are affording this particular attorney. I can’t imagine what his retainer is.

It’s a local coalition so unless Siegel is working pro bono or the NYCLU is footing some of the bill this should be all donations.

 

[Bood12]

While getting a full-time LIRR stop at Belmont would be awesome, can someone explain to me why it's a big deal if they don't? We all went to Nassau Coliseum for 40 years with no train stop and, other than the bathrooms, all seemed to work out fine.

no it was not fine, attendance was always lousy at the Coliseum, this arena is even more of a pain in the ass to get to, so you are abandoning the NYC people who would go to a game in Brooklyn( I heard it is about 50%?), and you are moving them back to Long Island where they were essentially a failure, and only moving them to an even more of a pain in the ass place to go to, so our already weak attendance on Long Island is going to probably be weaker off the bat with a more inconvenient location, I am not sure how people are not seeing this a recipe for a disaster. Having a train station close by is a necessity in this place, not that I think it is going to help to much, but it is still a necessity, otherwise it is pointless to have this place in Belmont.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Topeka, Kansas could support a NHL team if all they had was a winner to watch, it is all about getting a good crowd if the team is mediocre and average and respectable attendance if the team is lousy



well hope you are right, cuz I am guessing the attendance is going to be consistently awful at this place, but if they are able to stay afloat and get a max salary cap team and make Ledecky and Malkin a little money in the process so be it, and if it is really looking like a train station is a pipe dream, how about scrapping all the plans and knocking down the current Coliseum and building a new arena there, I thought the only actual incentive to this place was its chance of a train close by so you can get people from all over the Metro area to come to a game.

The Islanders have been a terribly run franchise for years now, they will not magically have good attendance with bad teams. In order for that to happen they need to.. you know.. have a winning franchise for 15-20 years when fans believe in them.

 

[Bones45]

Hopefully Isles operate shuttle buses (10 minute gaps) between either Bellerose or Floral Park to Belmont Park Arena during event days

Almost 0% chance of that happening

 

[Lame Lambert]

The Islanders have been a terribly run franchise for years now, they will not magically have good attendance with bad teams. In order for that to happen they need to.. you know.. have a winning franchise for 15-20 years when fans believe in them.

It’s ironic that the Snow apologist is the same one complaining about attendance.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I can’t wait to see people who wanted the team to stay at Barclays Center eat a ****burger when the team moves into Belmont Park.

Too bad people like you will never grow up and stop playing tit for tat on this issue.

Ummm.... I support the move to Belmont.

And your response tells me that you're already getting your excuses ready.

 

[PK Cronin]

While getting a full-time LIRR stop at Belmont would be awesome, can someone explain to me why it's a big deal if they don't? We all went to Nassau Coliseum for 40 years with no train stop and, other than the bathrooms, all seemed to work out fine.

Yeah, we went to the games...and we were the only ones. That was part of the problem. Anything that limits access to potential customers is bad for business. A train would be great for both the team and the shopping they are going to set up there. How do the New York Islanders attract the most fans as possible? By winning and having easy access to their product.