Islanders owner Charles Wang said the team has established a 25-year agreement to play in Barclays Center beginning in 2015-16. Their lease at Nassau Coliseum expires after the 2015 season.
The announcement was made with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz, Islanders general manager Garth Snow, and Barclays Center and Brooklyn Nets chief executive Brett Yormark in attendance.
"Brooklyn is big time and now we have the big league sports to prove it," Bloomberg said.
The Islanders had been trying to secure a new arena near the site of the Coliseum for some time. Wang, the founder of a computer software company, presented a plan in 2003 for a privately funded multibillion-dollar development of housing, retail and a new arena on the property, but the proposal foundered amid community opposition. Nassau County voters also rejected a $400 million proposal for a new arena, funded by bonds, in August 2001.
The move to Brooklyn isn't without complications. Under current plans, Barclays Center would hold only 14,500 for hockey, and sources familiar with the facility were skeptical regarding the arena's long-term viability as the home of an NHL franchise. At 15,004, Winnipeg's MTS Centre currently has the NHL's smallest capacity.
"It will be tough leaving such a historic building on Long Island, but we need a new rink and Barclays is a state-of-the-art facility that will be a great home for us," Islanders winger Matt Moulson told ESPNNewYork.com via text message. "I hope the fans that have stood by this team through good and bad times continue to support us on our quest for the Stanley Cup."
As recently as April, Bettman said Brooklyn might not be a viable destination for the Islanders because it's hard to reach for the team's fan base in Long Island and Queens. However, the team's announcement of a news conference at the Barclays Center trumpeted the fact that it is located "atop one of the largest transportation hubs in New York City ... accessible by 11 subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road, and 11 bus lines."
The outdated Coliseum -- it was built in 1971 and opening in 1972 -- is no longer suitable for the NHL once the lease expires. The arena holds 16,234, but the Islanders' average attendance last season was 13,191.
"It is unfortunate that we were unable to keep the team in Nassau County," the Islanders' Matt Martin said in a text. "Obviously, there is a ton of history there and it is sad to see that come to an end, but in saying that, I'm extremely excited that we were able to remain in New York and for the team's fresh start in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. I'm happy to be part of this new beginning."
No comments:
Post a Comment