Nassau Coliseum employees issued layoff notices ahead of planned closure for renovations this summer

The state Department of Labor has notified more than 40 full-time and 2,500 part-time employees of Nassau Coliseum that they will be laid off this summer when the arena closes for renovations led by Brooklyn developer Bruce Ratner.

The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires businesses with at least 100 employees to provide notification at least 60 days in advance of layoffs.

The Coliseum notice was issued Thursday to union representatives and said employees will be laid off no later than July 31 -- when Pennsylvania-based Spectator Management Group's lease with Nassau County to run the Uniondale arena expires.

It was unclear whether Coliseum employees will get jobs at the renovated venue after its expected reopening in late 2016.

"We cannot speak to the specifics related to the current workers since they are not our employees, but we will evaluate the operating plan for the renovated arena when we take over," said Forest City Ratner Cos. spokeswoman Ashley Cotton. "At the appropriate time, designated representatives of the current employees will be contacted to discuss the anticipated hiring process, staffing levels and other details."

About 2,000 Coliseum employees, including painters, electricians, carpenters, ushers and parking attendants, are members of 17 labor unions represented by the Long Island Federation of Labor, federation executive director Roger Clayman said.

"We are very concerned about the status of these 2,000 jobs," Clayman said. "We will do everything in our power to make sure they get their jobs back when the arena reopens under new management."

Coliseum general manager Jerry Goldman declined to comment. He referred inquiries to an SMG attorney who did not return calls for comment.

Ratner says he expects to begin renovating the arena in August. Work is expected to take 15 to 18 months. Construction of an adjacent retail and entertainment complex is expected to begin later this year, he said. Last month, Ratner and Syosset-based Blumenfeld Development group, which was brought on to manage construction of the retail and entertainment complex, filed dueling lawsuits. Each accuses the other of trying to usurp control of the project.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.