One day after a report surfaced that suggested the New York Islanders were considering a move out of Brooklyn to Queens, NY, another report says the team is in talks to head back to Nassau.
According to Newsday, the Islanders are in discussions with state officials about building a new arena at Belmont Park in Nassau — the longtime home of the team prior to last season.
Sources cited in the article say the team has met several times with the New York Racing Association which runs Belmont Park.
“NYRA is courting the Islanders,” said one source. “This is a wonderful opportunity to bring the Islanders back home.”
Another source in the article said the talks are preliminary. A new ownership group, headed by Jon Ledecky and partner Scott Malkin took over control of the Islanders from Charles Wang on July 1.
Last season, the team played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the first time. The venue received mixed reviews from fans who complained of obstructed seats. Players also complained of poor ice conditions. Attendance was down 11 per cent, according to a Bloomberg report Thursday. The same report said the team was in talks to potentially build an arena next to the New York Mets’ Citi Field in Queens.
