Deadline extended for comments on Islanders' Belmont arena plan
A rendering of the proposed Islanders arena at Belmont Park. Credit: Sterling Project Development
The deadline to submit written comments to the state regarding the Islanders’ proposed $1.2 billion arena development at Belmont Park has been extended by three weeks.
The new deadline is March 1.
The extension comes a month after the state's economic development agency hosted three days of public hearings in Elmont in which community members expressed concerns over the size of the Islanders' project, a lack of mass transit options and the likelihood for increased traffic congestion.
The Islanders' project calls for a 19,000-seat arena and 435,000 square feet of retail space, with restaurants, a movie theater and a 250-room hotel.
Empire State Development, the state agency which is coordinating the Islanders' project, has said a final environmental impact statement is due as early as April. ESD said Monday this extension, which it granted following requests from the community, doesn't change that timeline.
“The Belmont Redevelopment Project is a transformative opportunity for Long Island," ESD spokesman Jack Sterne said. "We take New Yorkers’ feedback seriously, and that’s why we are extending the public comment period until March 1st. We look forward to working with local residents, elected officials, community leaders, and our partners in government to ensure this project is successful.”
The Islanders hope to break ground on the arena in May. The earliest it would open is the 2021-22 season. They are splitting their games between Barclays Center in Brooklyn and their former home arena at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum until then.
Written remarks on the project can be submitted to BelmontOutreach@esd.ny.gov.
Jim Baumbach is an award-winning investigative reporter at Newsday, where he has worked since 1998. He spent two decades in the sports department, where he covered every professional team and league, including events such as the Super Bowl and World Series.
