UPDATE 3/31- NEWSDAY - Coliseum gets $6M for renovation to host Isles

[KevFu]

Really begs the question: where IS City looking?

Well, the one thing to remember is that City Football Group is NOT like other organizations. They don't need a mega campus with offices, business and scouting departments, etc.

Scouting and "Global Soccer Empire" staff is in Manchester's mega-campus.
Local business is in office space in Manhattan.

NYCFC needs training facility, and a place to play games.

They have a training facility opening this spring in Rockland County, New York. Which is like 20 miles upstate from Yankee Stadium (near the Tapanzee Bridge).

The Islanders on the other hand, probably going to move from the MetroTech offices in Flatbush when they leave Barclay's for Belmont.

 

[SladeWilson23]

Couldn't they build a practice facility right with the arena like the Devils do?

 

[GordonGecko]

and that is where this crazy idea will end...to build in NYC/Nassau it would cost at least 800-900 million, and that is where this will die

bingo. No investor in their right mind is footing the entire bill for an arena in the middle of nowhere with a an unreliable anchor tenant. They're going to reach out for public funding and the door will slam shut pretty fast

 

[Isles72]

Couldn't they build a practice facility right with the arena like the Devils do?

they already have a modern practice / training facility

 

[SladeWilson23]

they already have a modern practice / training facility

Gotcha.

 

[Brick City]

You mean the old Brendan Byrne and indoor ski slope? I find it hard to believe people are going to flock to that place.

Brick and mortar stores are a dying breed because internet shopping is only growing. For better or worse, Amazon is taking over the retail world.

Byrne/Continental/Izod is not part of that project and remains shuttered. It might eventually be renovated and downsized a la NVMC for Cirque de Soleil. The rest of it is fully financed and moving ahead. The Mall of America and West Edmonton Mall (the two largest on the continent) owner is the developer - I tend to trust their judgment. Especially since they're clearly doubling down on the entertainment component which is the future and should be Amazon proof (unless people are just going to be plugged into VR all day).

Amazon is interesting. They're actually starting to take space in higher end malls now. Again, can't speak for elsewhere, but malls where I am are generally packed on regular weekends year round and an absolute zoo this time of year. I think enough people, myself included, still like to venture out and be around other people.

We will see. My point for this thread was the proposed retail component, IF mixed with a healthy dose of restaurants and entertainment, is not automatically doomed to failure.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Just get the shovel in the ground for Al Arbor Arena already.

Bob's Discount Furniture Center*

 

[KevFu]

bingo. No investor in their right mind is footing the entire bill for an arena in the middle of nowhere with a an unreliable anchor tenant. They're going to reach out for public funding and the door will slam shut pretty fast

(It's really funny how everyone pooping on the Islanders arena as a "never happen" situation all have NY Rangers avatars).


The Islanders co-owner Ledecky has already said "100% privately funded."

It's also worth noting that the Islanders' plan includes a plaza of commercial shopping (kind of like LA Live). That's significant because the Islanders OTHER co-owner made his money by building lucrative commercial shopping centers.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Byrne/Continental/Izod is not part of that project and remains shuttered. It might eventually be renovated and downsized a la NVMC for Cirque de Soleil. The rest of it is fully financed and moving ahead. The Mall of America and West Edmonton Mall (the two largest on the continent) owner is the developer - I tend to trust their judgment. Especially since they're clearly doubling down on the entertainment component which is the future and should be Amazon proof (unless people are just going to be plugged into VR all day).

Amazon is interesting. They're actually starting to take space in higher end malls now. Again, can't speak for elsewhere, but malls where I am are generally packed on regular weekends year round and an absolute zoo this time of year. I think enough people, myself included, still like to venture out and be around other people.

We will see. My point for this thread was the proposed retail component, IF mixed with a healthy dose of restaurants and entertainment, is not automatically doomed to failure.

Isn't there already such a complex on route 3, over by the entrance to the eastern spur of the tpke?

 

[Colin226]

I didn't see anyone else here mention this, but I was listening to Mike Francesa take his final calls on Friday and someone asked about the Islanders' arena situation at Belmont. Mike said he actually had some inside knowledge on it and that it's true MSG and the Wilpon's are in on the arena as well. He said it's more likely than not (he gave it a 70% chance) the Islanders win the bid and build this thing. So take it FWIW.

 

[Bones45]

Tweet this morning saying there could be an announcement on Belmont as early as this week.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

as long as the track stays as is, and not completely redeveloped a la Hollywood Park, I'm backing this.

 

[GordonGecko]

Mike Francesa ... said it's more likely than not (he gave it a 70% chance) the Islanders win the bid

I have no doubt the Islanders will win the bid, it's almost a foregone conclusion. I do however, have serious doubts about the ability of the investors to raise the financing for such a risky development. This is State land, they're going to mandate union labor at "prevailing wage" (aka "massively-inflated-have-nothing-to-do-with-reality wage"). Every contractor will have to be pre-approved and in the good graces of politicians lining their pockets. All this to say it's going to be expensive, possibly even north of $1B. If they have the money more power to them, if not don't expect the government to foot any of this cost and the arena will be DOA

 

[KevFu]

I didn't see anyone else here mention this, but I was listening to Mike Francesa take his final calls on Friday and someone asked about the Islanders' arena situation at Belmont. Mike said he actually had some inside knowledge on it and that it's true MSG and the Wilpon's are in on the arena as well. He said it's more likely than not (he gave it a 70% chance) the Islanders win the bid and build this thing. So take it FWIW.

I think everyone's got it at a much higher percentage.

Based on one of the three bidders saying "This process is rigged, only one group had a chance" and dropping out.
The other remaining bidder (NYCFC) saying "We're looking at a lot of places, Belmont is one."
And the Islanders bid saying "We're locked in on Belmont, no Plan B."

The Islanders arena bid is either locked in, 99.9% done deal with the other two never having a chance, OR two of the three bidders are ridiculously stupid and out of touch with the situation and making crazy decisions based on supporting evidence.

It simply makes no sense for any of the three bidders to react/behave this way if the Islanders bid wasn't the perceived winner.

 

[KevFu]

I have no doubt the Islanders will win the bid, it's almost a foregone conclusion. I do however, have serious doubts about the ability of the investors to raise the financing for such a risky development. This is State land, they're going to mandate union labor at "prevailing wage" (aka "massively-inflated-have-nothing-to-do-with-reality wage"). Every contractor will have to be pre-approved and in the good graces of politicians lining their pockets. All this to say it's going to be expensive, possibly even north of $1B. If they have the money more power to them, if not don't expect the government to foot any of this cost and the arena will be DOA

Like I said, it's amusing that all the people with doubts about the Islanders be able to build a "risky development" all have Rangers avatars. And that's twice as hilarious when you consider the MSG Corporation is one of the investors/partners in "New York Arena Partners, LLC."

 

[nyscene]

That, and the state already required respondents to demonstrate sufficient resources in their proposals.

And remember: prevailing wage in Nassau is significantly lower than in NYC. For an electrician (as an example, since that’s what I’m most familiar with) NYC prevailing wage with benefits is about $110/hr. In Nassau, about $85.

 

[Lame Lambert]

Couldn't they build a practice facility right with the arena like the Devils do?

They just dumped 60 milllion into their new practice facility at Eisenhower Park
Take a tour of the Isles' new practice facility

 

[islesmb]

 

[Bood12]

The incentive for Barclays to give the Isles a short term lease is without the Isles they will have 2 venues with dates to fill.

Maybe, but I am guessing they are going to be pissed that this new arena is going to screw over Barclay's and the Coliseum and they could very easily tell the Isles to go and F themselves, I am guessing the Islanders are going to have to give them an extremely generous amount of money in order to play for 2 years in Barclay's or Nassau, and who knows, they might also have to have some other agreement like no concerts for the first 5 years in order to give the Coliseum the rights

 

[Fenway]

Like I said, it's amusing that all the people with doubts about the Islanders be able to build a "risky development" all have Rangers avatars. And that's twice as hilarious when you consider the MSG Corporation is one of the investors/partners in "New York Arena Partners, LLC."

I think it is fair to say that the Dolan family is one of the main reasons the Islanders still exist in New York. Charles Dolan and the Islanders go all the way back to when his struggling HBO channel aired Islanders games in the 70's.

 

[jkrdevil]

You mean the old Brendan Byrne and indoor ski slope? I find it hard to believe people are going to flock to that place.

Brick and mortar stores are a dying breed because internet shopping is only growing. For better or worse, Amazon is taking over the retail world.

They’ve been building that complex out by the Meadowlands since 2003! If it ever does get completed it will be a huge flop given retails changing landscape and it’s already tarnished rep.

If you are going to to build a big retail/entrainment district nowadays you need both an office and residential competent in order to attract people. Vering back on it, I don’t know what is in the Isles Belmont plan besides the arena.

 

[Lame Lambert]

I think it is fair to say that the Dolan family is one of the main reasons the Islanders still exist in New York. Charles Dolan and the Islanders go all the way back to when his struggling HBO channel aired Islanders games in the 70's.

Please come explain that to people on our board who have Dolanphobia and think he's going to own the rights to Belmont arena and kick us out midseason

 

[LetsGoIslanders]

The 250-room hotel is going to be used all the time by foreign airline crews flying to JFK. Many airlines are resistant to putting up their crews in Manhattan unless through a union agreement. BA is most notable in that they have a specific agreement with a hotel in the City (I forget which), to provide minimum service to their blocked out rooms. If you went to the Marriott in Uniondale, you'd always see flight crews coming and going. This hotel will be maybe fifteen miles closer than Uniondale. It will also provide revenue to retail and restaurants in the complex.

 

[GordonGecko]

Like I said, it's amusing that all the people with doubts about the Islanders be able to build a "risky development" all have Rangers avatars. And that's twice as hilarious when you consider the MSG Corporation is one of the investors/partners in "New York Arena Partners, LLC."

It's the opposite, Islander fans love drinking the kool aid. When we were pointing out all the problems at Barclay's before the move some guy from the islanders board (Bert something) came on here every day to shout down every single post that had any hint of non glowing reviews about the place. In the end the people warning turned out to be right. It's like Islander fans have a colossal pathological inferiority complex. The only real solution was a new arena in Nassau but crooked politicians made sure that never happened. Belmont is an awful location, it's going to be hard for the numbers to make sense on this project with private funding

 

[Fenway]

Please come explain that to people on our board who have Dolanphobia and think he's going to own the rights to Belmont arena and kick us out midseason

The only rough stretch the Islanders had on TV was when Dolan tried to put them on a new channel ( the so called MSG Metro channels ) that unless you were on Cablevision it became a problem - but the team was still being paid. Dolan was trying to juggle all the NY area teams but when the Yankees started YES and the Nets followed Dolan was able to keep the rest of his teams happy.

The irony in all of this is Dolan has made more money with the Islanders than anyone and he never owned them