We have a name for the new home of the New York Islanders set to open for the 2021-2022 NHL season: UBS Arena at Belmont Park.
The announcement of the 20-year naming rights deal was made by UBS, Oak View Group, the New York Islanders and Sterling Project Development this morning. Terms of the naming rights deal were not revealed, but it was reported that the total cost to UBS would be $400 million.
In addition to securing naming rights to the arena, specific elements of the agreement with UBS include permanent exterior signage, entitlement to the arena’s largest premium private hospitality space, and prominent UBS logo placement on the roof, center ice, and throughout the venue. UBS clients and employees will also enjoy extensive VIP hospitality opportunities.
“We are excited to announce this long-term partnership with the New York Islanders and are proud to play a role in creating one of the country’s premier sports and entertainment venues,” said Tom Naratil, Co-President UBS Global Wealth Management and President UBS Americas. “The New York City area is home to our Americas headquarters, thousands of our employees, and more UBS clients than any other US market. We have deep roots in the tri-state area and a fundamental commitment to growing our presence in the US. This is an opportunity to demonstrate and accelerate that commitment, while having a positive and lasting impact on the surrounding community.”
“UBS Arena is poised to become a global landmark entertainment and sports destination, leading us to partner with one of the world’s premier brands, UBS,” said Tim Leiweke, CEO of Oak View Group and leader of the arena project. “Together we’re eager to deliver on our shared promise of helping reinvigorate the New York economy, creating jobs, supporting a sustainable future, and safely providing an unrivaled, distinctive premium experience for all. We’re excited to bring our passion and unmatched guest service commitment to life, and we look forward to welcoming fans to what will surely become a popular global destination for world-class events for many years to come.”
“UBS Arena will stand as a beacon of strength, resilience, achievement and community, and we look forward to celebrating this milestone with our loyal fans,” said Jon Ledecky, Co-Owner of the New York Islanders. “We’re thrilled to be partners with UBS on this transformational project that will be so important to the New York economy for decades.”
Work on UBS Arena was slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with construction shut down for a brief amount of time.
Some facts about UBS Arena:
- 17,000-seat arena built for Islanders hockey (19,000 seats for music)
- The arena’s displays will include the largest scoreboard in New York with industry-leading, high definition technology and two levels of high-resolution LED ribbon boards. Additionally, the game presentation will offer dramatic theatrical lighting and ice video projections, wait times will be reduced through emerging POS solutions and payment options, and guests will enjoy 5G cellular and Wi-Fi service up to 50x faster than current networks.
- UBS Arena will employ a mix of cutting-edge sanitization technologies paired with operational, staffing, contactless technology and cleaning solutions to ensure the health and safety of patrons and staff. Facilities will include medical grade HEPA filtration, task-specific ultraviolet light systems and adoption of cleaning and disinfecting solutions that are proven safe and effective in large-scale public spaces. UBS Arena is committed to following CDC, state and local guidance to ensure the arena presents a safe and comfortable environment in which to enjoy live entertainment and sports.
- New LIRR station with direct service to Manhattan (Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station) and plenty of parking
- Two outdoor terraces open to all guests
- Eight bars with views of the ice
- More restrooms per person than any arena in metro NY
- Unique premium offerings like the Spotlight Club, where guests will have views of the team tunnel and see players going on and off of the ice
- Safe standing section
- State of the art team training facility
As noted, the arena is set to open for the 2021-2022 NHL season. The team is set to play the 2020-2021 season at Nassau Coliseum.
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