Developer Bruce Ratner, who built the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, is going to try to do what others have failed to do: figure out how to create a competitive sports and entertainment arena at the 77-acre Nassau Coliseum site in Uniondale, sources familiar with the situation said.
Ratner will advise the county on what to do with the arena itself, the sources said. He will come up with a plan in 2013 to increase the arena's viability and allow it to compete for shows, concerts and other events.
Developer Bruce Ratner, who built the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, is going to try to do what others have failed to do: figure out how to create a competitive sports and entertainment arena at the 77-acre Nassau Coliseum site in Uniondale, sources familiar with the situation said.
Ratner will advise the county on what to do with the arena itself, the sources said. He will come up with a plan in 2013 to increase the arena's viability and allow it to compete for shows, concerts and other events.
That is an interesting quote. To me that sounds like they are going to build a venue to replace the coliseum. If that is the case, is that Nassau's way of trying to lure back the Islanders in 25 years?
That is an interesting quote. To me that sounds like they are going to build a venue to replace the coliseum. If that is the case, is that Nassau's way of trying to lure back the Islanders in 25 years?
Likely, it's to make up for the revenue lost when the Isles move to Brooklyn. With both the Nets and the Isles occupying the Barclays almost every night from October until April (and hopefully later), there won't be many open days for concerts, the circus, ice shows, etc. Those events will likely take place at the Coliseum as that building will have the availability. That's somewhat good news for Nassau taxpayers.
That is an interesting quote. To me that sounds like they are going to build a venue to replace the coliseum. If that is the case, is that Nassau's way of trying to lure back the Islanders in 25 years?
Isles won't be free of the Barclay's lease until the yr 2040. I doubt they will look at a 25/26 yr old Nassau arena and think it's a state of the art building and wish to move there.
There's plenty of incentive for Ratner/Wang to want the County to succeed with it's HUB plans.
Steve55 made the point, that Ratner could be trying to help the isles get out of their current arena early. Wang has the incentive of wanting his hotel to do well.
Isn't Ratner's company still the majority owner of the Barclay's Center. Why would Nassau County willingly ask for advice from someone who will probably greatly benefit if the NVMC is demolished. I mean if a tour won't go to the NVMC they'll probably book an extra date at the Barclay's, no?
Since the Isles' announced the move to Brooklyn, I've constantly had the thought in my head that the Sound Tigers would eventually relocate to Uniondale. Renovate the Coliseum into a scaled-down, modernized entertainment/sports complex. You probably won't get the big money acts coming out there, but you'll at least have minor-league hockey in a nice facility and be able to attract some "C-list" entertainment there.
What this does for Nassau is allow them to recoup some of the lost revenue they'd lose when the Isles leave and save some face by at least having minor league hockey there. But more importantly, for the organization itself...the entire organization can run out of one central office in Brooklyn or out on the Island, if need be. Your players, both NHL and AHL are very close...and it "could" feel like the Islanders aren't completely leaving Long Island. That might be Wang's motivation in holding onto IceWorks, Marriott, and the Isles offices. Make IceWorks the Sound Tigers practice facility...have a new, smaller Coliseum be the home of the Long Island Sound Tigers...move Sound Tigers staff into Isles' current offices...and build a new practice facility/offices in Brooklyn for the Islanders.
Quite frankly, I think that'd be a win-win for almost everybody. Even for the disenfranchised Suffolk/Nassau Isles fans that are pissed about the Isles moving. Perhaps they would now still follow the team if they can watch the Baby Islanders in a newly renovated Coliseum.
Alot of this, of course, depends on Wang's agreement in Bridgeport. Is there a lease for the Sound Tigers and how long does it run, can it be broken?
Since the Isles' announced the move to Brooklyn, I've constantly had the thought in my head that the Sound Tigers would eventually relocate to Uniondale. Renovate the Coliseum into a scaled-down, modernized entertainment/sports complex. You probably won't get the big money acts coming out there, but you'll at least have minor-league hockey in a nice facility and be able to attract some "C-list" entertainment there.
What this does for Nassau is allow them to recoup some of the lost revenue they'd lose when the Isles leave and save some face by at least having minor league hockey there. But more importantly, for the organization itself...the entire organization can run out of one central office in Brooklyn or out on the Island, if need be. Your players, both NHL and AHL are very close...and it "could" feel like the Islanders aren't completely leaving Long Island. That might be Wang's motivation in holding onto IceWorks, Marriott, and the Isles offices. Make IceWorks the Sound Tigers practice facility...have a new, smaller Coliseum be the home of the Long Island Sound Tigers...move Sound Tigers staff into Isles' current offices...and build a new practice facility/offices in Brooklyn for the Islanders.
Quite frankly, I think that'd be a win-win for almost everybody. Even for the disenfranchised Suffolk/Nassau Isles fans that are pissed about the Isles moving. Perhaps they would now still follow the team if they can watch the Baby Islanders in a newly renovated Coliseum.
Alot of this, of course, depends on Wang's agreement in Bridgeport. Is there a lease for the Sound Tigers and how long does it run, can it be broken?
I'd rather have the Sound Tigers playing at NVMC, then the Ranger AHL team, the Whale. Before the isles announced the Barclay's move, there had been speculation that the Whale could be headed for Barclay's. I think the Whale Hartford lease ends this summer.
Isles won't be free of the Barclay's lease until the yr 2040. I doubt they will look at a 25/26 yr old Nassau arena and think it's a state of the art building and wish to move there.
Yes, especially after the run around Nassau County gave the Isles. I highly doubt there is any trust between them.
A one-year old could tell you that somebody is holding something back. I'm guessing there was some sort of secret meeting that took place within the past couple of months.
Also, where the heck is Kate Murray during all of this???
I might die from laughter if they wind up building an arena on the site.
Kate Murray has always said that a new arena is needed. Everyone agrees on that part. If Wang only wanted a new arena, a deal would have been done long ago.
A new arena WILL be made --- just nothing like what Wang probably wanted -- and without a hockey team. Im sure it can accomodate NHL and NBA as well as other things.. but its just apparently not going to hold the NYI.
Ratner became re-interested after the Islanders decided to leave.
In other words the area will be easier to develop without having to accommodate the team. Which does seem very logical.
"Saving" the NVMC is nothing more than saying the right thing publicly.
Chances are greater than not that the HUB will be developed without any kind of venue.
Developers build what sells.
They'll build a minor league venue - holds 6-8k seats with some luxury boxes. Enough to hold concerts and disney on ice type things to appease the 'burbanites that they don't have to go to NYC for such things besides radio city, the circus, broadway show, and a rangers game, and oh, and the Turkey parade.
Also, a smaller arena means an easier sell on the impact to the area/land - if it's smaller than the coliseum, than it must automatically draw/attract less traffic than the much bigger coliseum.
Boot strap some strip malls on it and whalla, LI'ers are happy.
Since the Isles' announced the move to Brooklyn, I've constantly had the thought in my head that the Sound Tigers would eventually relocate to Uniondale. Renovate the Coliseum into a scaled-down, modernized entertainment/sports complex. You probably won't get the big money acts coming out there, but you'll at least have minor-league hockey in a nice facility and be able to attract some "C-list" entertainment there.
What this does for Nassau is allow them to recoup some of the lost revenue they'd lose when the Isles leave and save some face by at least having minor league hockey there. But more importantly, for the organization itself...the entire organization can run out of one central office in Brooklyn or out on the Island, if need be. Your players, both NHL and AHL are very close...and it "could" feel like the Islanders aren't completely leaving Long Island. That might be Wang's motivation in holding onto IceWorks, Marriott, and the Isles offices. Make IceWorks the Sound Tigers practice facility...have a new, smaller Coliseum be the home of the Long Island Sound Tigers...move Sound Tigers staff into Isles' current offices...and build a new practice facility/offices in Brooklyn for the Islanders.
Quite frankly, I think that'd be a win-win for almost everybody. Even for the disenfranchised Suffolk/Nassau Isles fans that are pissed about the Isles moving. Perhaps they would now still follow the team if they can watch the Baby Islanders in a newly renovated Coliseum.
Alot of this, of course, depends on Wang's agreement in Bridgeport. Is there a lease for the Sound Tigers and how long does it run, can it be broken?
I agree whole heartedly. The team could keep a first class practice facility there and stay connected to the LI community while playing in there world class facility in Brooklyn. Win win.
Since the Isles' announced the move to Brooklyn, I've constantly had the thought in my head that the Sound Tigers would eventually relocate to Uniondale. Renovate the Coliseum into a scaled-down, modernized entertainment/sports complex. You probably won't get the big money acts coming out there, but you'll at least have minor-league hockey in a nice facility and be able to attract some "C-list" entertainment there.
What this does for Nassau is allow them to recoup some of the lost revenue they'd lose when the Isles leave and save some face by at least having minor league hockey there. But more importantly, for the organization itself...the entire organization can run out of one central office in Brooklyn or out on the Island, if need be. Your players, both NHL and AHL are very close...and it "could" feel like the Islanders aren't completely leaving Long Island. That might be Wang's motivation in holding onto IceWorks, Marriott, and the Isles offices. Make IceWorks the Sound Tigers practice facility...have a new, smaller Coliseum be the home of the Long Island Sound Tigers...move Sound Tigers staff into Isles' current offices...and build a new practice facility/offices in Brooklyn for the Islanders.
Quite frankly, I think that'd be a win-win for almost everybody. Even for the disenfranchised Suffolk/Nassau Isles fans that are pissed about the Isles moving. Perhaps they would now still follow the team if they can watch the Baby Islanders in a newly renovated Coliseum.
Alot of this, of course, depends on Wang's agreement in Bridgeport. Is there a lease for the Sound Tigers and how long does it run, can it be broken?
Why would NYI compete against itself for attendance? Giving nassau, suffolk people a reason to stay closer and discourage them more from going to Brooklyn with another option isn't smart.
