Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner, Belmont: "All I hear is positive"

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said he is planning construction of the new Islanders arena at Belmont Park this summer.

"I'm expecting a revolution in the coming months," Bettman said at the Associated Press Sports writers meeting in Manhattan on Friday.

Bettman said in February that he expected the arena to open in May or June. When Bettman reminded the commissioner of those comments, he said on Friday, "May, June, July – we are somewhere in that range.

"He's still coming in. I have no reason to believe this is not the case."

The Islanders' Arena project, which also includes a 250-room, 435,000-square-foot retail hotel, is undergoing a lengthy environmental review phase.

Empire State Development, the state agency responsible for coordinating the project, said the review and all necessary approvals would be completed by the end of June.

Newsday reported last month that EDD had extended the review to the possibility of installing a full-time LIRR station on the main line. This would allow people traveling to games from the east to avoid transfers to Jamaica before arriving in Belmont.

ESD stated that the majority of the thousands of comments that the Board had received from the public concerned transportation, with residents worried about the potential for increased congestion caused by rush-hour arena traffic.

"Scott Malkin and his people are doing everything they can," said Bettman. "And of all that I hear, they do it the right way. These projects are big and complicated. But all I hear is positive.

The arena, which will hold 18,000 spots for hockey games, is expected to open for the 2021-22 season. Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky told Newsday last month that preparations were on track, citing the recent construction of new arenas in 20 to 24 months.

Bettman also said on Friday that he "anticipated" that the Islanders would once again share their regular season games between NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn next season.

The Islanders agreed to divide the games between the two arenas for two more seasons during the Belmont installation. Both arenas are operated by BSE Global, whose chief executive, Brett Yormark, told Newsday he was in favor of moving the Islanders' most games to the Coliseum.

Bettman said, "It's not something we're looking at or focusing on."

"You know, the Nassau Coliseum is not exactly an ultramodern major league facility," Bettman said. "We tried to be accommodating. But we must be somewhat realistic about the nature of this facility. "

The Islanders played in the first round of the playoffs at the Coliseum. Players and fans were thrilled by the atmosphere at the arena where their team went to the 1972 home when they moved to Brooklyn in 2015.

But the League and the Islanders said the recently renovated arena could only accommodate 13,900 people, did not have the amenities that were commonly found in a new arena, and was crowded with crowded corridors. and long lines of bathrooms and concessions during peak periods.