Once a haven for hockey fans, the third-oldest active NHL arena is a long-established grandfather arena compared to others. Due to the small size and low ceilings, when a good crowd is on hand, the Coliseum can get extremely loud. In addition, every seat in the house is close to the ice.
Capacity: 17,576
Architect: Unknown
Web Site: nassaucoliseum.com
Phone: 516/794-9303
Anchor Tenants: New York Islanders (NHL) / New York Dragons (AFL)
Parking: There is sufficient parking surrounding the coliseum.
Directions: 1255 Hemstead Turnpike, Uniondale, NY 11553. From Lower Manhattan: Battery tunnel to Belt Parkway, proceeding east to the Southern State Parkway to exit 22N (Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Midtown Manhattan: Midtown Tunnel to Long Island Expressway (495) east to exit 38, Northern State Parkway to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Upper Manhattan: Triborough Bridge to Grand Central Parkway which runs into Northern State Parkway to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Queens: Grand Central Parkway which runs into Northern State Parkway to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Brooklyn: Belt Parkway to Southern State Parkway east to exit 22N. (Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From the Bronx: Triborough, Whitestone, or Throgs Neck Bridge to Queens. Pick up the Grand Central Parkway east to the Northern State Parkway to exit 31A. (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Staten Island: Verrazano Narrows Bridge to Belt Parkway east to the Southern State Parkway East to exit 22N (Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Upstate NY: New York Thruway to Throgs Neck Bridge to Queens. Pick up the Grand Central Parkway east which runs into the Northern State Parkway east to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Connecticut: Connecticut Turnpike to the Throgs Neck Bridge to the Long Island Expressway (495) east to exit 38. Northern State Parkway east to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Westchester: Route 95 to the Throgs Neck Bridge to the Long Island Expressway (495) east to exit 38, Northern State Parkway east to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Southern or Central Jersey: New Jersey Turnpike to exit 13, Goethals Bridge, across the Verrazano Bridge to Belt Parkway East to Southern State Parkway (25A), to exit 22N (Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Northern NJ: George Washington Bridge to Triborough Bridge to Grand Central Parkway which runs into Northern State Parkway (east) to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Eastern Long Island (South Shore): Sunrise Highway to Southern State Parkway to exit 22N (Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. From Eastern Long Island (North Shore): Long Island Expressway West to Northern State Parkway to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum. By Train: Take the Long Island Railroad to the Hempstead Train Station. Walk one (1) block to the Hempstead Bus Terminal and take either the N70, N71, or the N72, which will drop you off on Hempstead Turnpike opposite the Nassau Coliseum. Or Take the Long Island Railroad to the Westbury Train Station, at which there are no buses available, and you must take a cab to the Nassau Coliseum.
History
It is difficult to follow the success that the New York Islanders accomplished in the 1980s with four consecutive Stanley Cups. The Islanders have not been the same dominant team since ownership changes stunted their growth in the late 1990s.
Once a haven for hockey fans, the Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum has been improving their attendance slowly each year. Opened in 1972, the third-oldest active NHL arena is a long-established grandfather arena compared to others. Due to the small size and low ceilings, when a good crowd is on hand, the Coliseum can get extremely loud. In addition, every seat in the house is close to the ice.
The arena was built on Mitchel Field, a former Army/Air Force base located in the center of Nassau County. The base was shut down in 1960 and declared property of the U.S. Government. In 1961 Nassau County collected a portion of the property and built the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in dedication to those who made the ultimate sacrifice to their country.
Home to the New York Islanders and Arena Football’s New York Dragons, the Coliseum also hosts state-of-the-art concerts, professional wrestling, boxing, lacrosse, and soccer.
