Brooklyn Barclays Centre: New York Islanders next potential new home stadium –NHL offseason Update
After losing the opportunity of building a new home stadium by rejection from local tax payers who rejected the idea of a $400 million investment for New York Islanders, the news Brooklyn Barclays Centre is certainly capable to handle a professional ice
hockey franchise and could be Islanders new home.
Residents in a landslide decision overruled the decision to allow $400 million of public money to be used for a new Islanders arena, terming the conclusion as not wanting to support a private business owner, namely, Charles Wang.
Wang was certainly disappointed at the decision.
“I’m heartbroken that this was not passed. We’re disappointed that the referendum pertaining to the arena was not voted by the people of Nassau County as being a move in the right direction for growth. I feel that the sound bites ruled the day and not
the facts. ”, Wang said.
Now, looking at the Barclays Center, which is currently under construction in Brooklyn already, has the commitment of a professional basketball team from the National Basketball Association (NBA) wanting to setup camp there. According to Barclays Center
CEO, Brett Yormark, this could potentially be New York Islanders new home stadium.
“The Barclays Center will have an ice rink that can support professional hockey,” Yormark said in a written statement. “Our primary focus at the moment is to build the best sports and entertainment venue in the world”.
Fortunately for Islanders, they will now not have to move out of their home city, and would not have to propose and campaign to another county of residents to use their tax money for building an arena.
This is not the only option that Charles Wang has in his mind which the media has learnt about. Previously, neighboring area, Suffolk County, was seen to have offered New York Islanders an opportunity to come and use their land to build an arena with their
money.
At the moment, there has not been any final decision to as what and where the NHL franchise will be taking off, but one thing is for sure, it will not be in their current Nassau County.
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