The New York Islanders (NHL) may end up staying on Long Island after all if Suffolk County, a neighbor to Nassau County, can put together a deal for a new arena.
According to AP, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy approached Islanders owner Charles Wang about what the county could do to land the team. No other specifics were released, and a request for comment from the Islanders PR folks was not granted.
With Nassau County voters shooting down a $400-million bonding plan for a new arena, the future of the Islanders has been in question. Wang issued a statement saying he was committed to Long Island, but Nassau County Coliseum is a financially obsolete facility. There has been talk about the team looking at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, but it would require changes in the arena design to accomodate a full-time NHL team to the point where seating would be seriously diminished.
RELATED STORIES: Wang: I won’t move Isles; Voters overwhelmingly reject new Nassau County arena
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