Where is Suffolk

We have heard from Nassau, Queens, and Brooklyn in the past several months, but what happen to Suffolk.  Ever since Steve Bellone has become County Executive not a whisper of talks between the two has been heard.  There are two ways this can be interpreted.

1) Suffolk County is too cash strap to offer the Islanders a deal, so the two sides haven't been talking.

2) Suffolk County and Charles Wang are in talks and the two sides are keeping everything under wraps, since Wang wants a media blackout.  The reason why Wang would want a media blackout with any serious negotiation is the belief that he has that the media played a major role in killing the Lighthouse.  So the question is while Nassau Democrats and Republicans are fighting and Brooklyn is talking about the potential of their arena to the public is something really going on behinds the scenes in Suffolk.

At this point of time it still looks like it will be Brooklyn or out of New York for the Islanders, but if there was ever a dark horse in this race it has been Suffolk County.  The question is if their silence speaks volumes or not.

Nassau Rehashes an Old Plan

Instead of coming up with a new idea for the the Nassau Hub and saving the Islanders, Nassau County and Ed Mangano rehash an old plan.  They want private development to save the team and developm the land without public money.

From Newsday:

In another attempt to keep the Islanders , Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano is seeking a developer to coordinate the construction of a new or renovated arena, along with housing and retail, on the land around Nassau Coliseum .

But team officials did not return calls for comment, and it remains unclear whether they support Mangano's latest plan. Islanders owner Charles Wang has said his team will not stay in the current arena past 2015, when his lease expires, and that he is evaluating other possible locations.

To jump-start the new arena effort, Nassau County is expected Monday to release a Request for Qualifications seeking a "master developer" for the Nassau Hub property. The winning developer would be required to "immediately begin negotiations" with the Islanders and the arena's management, Pennsylvania -based SMG, the RFQ is expected to say.

The goal, Mangano said, is to make up the difference between what Wang is willing to pay as the Coliseum's tenant and the total price tag of a new or renovated arena. The plan does not detail how much Wang would contribute. No county money is involved, Mangano said.

"There's 10 years of data, there's 10 years of public input, there's 10 years of no's," Mangano said in an interview. "Now's the time for us to come together and collectively end the island of no and go forward with the island of yes. That's what the RFQ is intended to do."

If the Islanders leave, the winning developer would have to come up with an alternative.

Islanders senior vice president Michael Picker did not return calls for comment last week.

 http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=703656FED317F950FDD7.3239?site=newsday&view=top_stories_item&feed%3Aa=newsday_1min&feed%3Ac=topstories&feed%3Ai=1.3825413&nopaging=1

This plan is flawed to begin with, considering we already know that Kate Murray's zoning makes it impossible for a developer to make a profit with an arena in the plans.  Most likely people will put in RFPS so they can have the the land   if or when the Islanders leave.  Since it will become the responsibility of the winning developer to come up with alternatives for the site if the Islanders decide to leave the hub.  Instead of coming up with a new plan Nassau has returned to an already failed one.

Things Are Quiet on the Arena Front

As we get deeper into summer and the hockey off season things are completely quiet on the arena front.  For the past several weeks nothing new has come out.  The last we heard Ed Mangano handed in his proposal for the hub, but no details were released of the plan.  There have even been murmurs that an arena will not be included in the plan.  On the Brooklyn front the team spent a lot of time at the draft party promoting the October 2nd game at the Barclays Center and even came out with a shirt for the event..

The longer this issue goes with any news this off season the worse the future of the Islanders in Nassau County looks.  Things look so bad that the head of the labor unions on Long Island threw out the ideas of using the unions pension money to build a new arena.  That is a gigantic risk to take with people's retirement money.  Hopefully something comes out soon on the issue, but for now it seems like Islander fans will be force to wait and see if the new Hub plan might have an arena in it when the economic development council picks winners in September.  This could be a painfully quiet summer 

Coyotes New Lease is going to Court?

ESPN is reporting that the new lease that Glendale approved for the Coyotes will be sued by Goldwater Institute.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The conservative watchdog group Goldwater Institute has filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the Glendale City Council's vote to approve a lease agreement for Jobing.com Arena with a potential buyer of the Phoenix Coyotes.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Maricopa County Superior Court on behalf of Glendale taxpayers Ken Jones and Joe Cobb, claiming last week's vote violated a 2009 court order requiring Glendale to provide all documents in negotiations between the city and a prospective owner to Goldwater in a timely manner.

We continue to hope that the city will construct a lawful deal that protects the interests of Glendale taxpayers. Without seeing critical exhibits contained in the arena management agreement ... it is not possible to determine the constitutional validity of the agreement.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8047705/goldwater-institute-files-lawsuit-phoenix-coyotes-deal

 The question this arises is if the lease get's hold up in court will the NHL wait for the trail to come to a conclusion, or pickup and move out of the market.  If the Coyotes are forced to relocate that would take one threat away from the Islanders.

Hush Hush on Nassau's Hub Redevelopment Plan

Yesterday Nassau County submitted their redevelopment plan for the hub, but would not release the details of it.

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano submitted an economic development plan to the state Friday for the Hub area, although it's unclear what the proposal envisions for the aging Nassau Coliseum .

The application, which Deputy County Executive Rob Walker refused to release because of "nondisclosure agreements with certain interested parties," was submitted to the Empire State Development Corp. as a "transformative project."

"It's going to be good," said Walker, who declined to elaborate on the proposal.

Nassau's submission will compete with other projects from across Long Island . The Long Island Regional Economic Development Council will select its top projects to compete with nine other regions for a total of $220 million in capital funds.

An additional $530 million, pooled from 12 state agencies, will be distributed by the state.

Kevin Law, co-vice chairman of the council, said he was anxious to review Nassau's proposal. The panel will make its decision in September.

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=777BA7C2EB19649AFAFD.3239?site=newsday&view=nassau_item&feed:a=newsday_5min&feed:c=nassau&feed:i=1.3785252&nopaging=1

 The fact they won't release the details scares me a little. It makes me think that this could be the first redevelopment plan without an arena in it. I wouldn't think they would make that drastic of a shift yet, but who knows.

Brooklyn or Bust

I have been saying for months now that I believe that unless something drastic happen that it is Brooklyn or bust for the Islanders.  Today there were several pieces written expressing that opinion.

Ever since the residents of Nassau County overwhelmingly voted No against another plan to get the Islanders a new arena, the future of the franchise on Long Island has been in doubt.
It has seemed all along that the brand new Barclays Center in Brooklyn is the only suitable option -- and some would argue that it's not suitable. Despite officials saying the arena could host hockey -- and it will this preseason when the Islanders play a game there -- its seating capacity for hockey would be the lowest in the NHL, even below Winnipeg.
But is that really it? I mean, there's no way that the NHL would let a team leave the New York Metro area, would they? Well if that's your hope than these tweets from B.D. Gallof of WFAN/CBS New York won't give you the warm and fuzzies.

BDGallof @BDGallof

I have been told its either Brooklyn or gone. Final chapter playing out quietly. Brooklyn or outside bids the direction here for #isles

15 Jun 12

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BDGallof @BDGallof

Don't mean to be a drag, but the reality here, especially with news of Queens is that nobody attaching it to #isles for good reason.

15 Jun 12

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BDGallof @BDGallof

Situation can change, but hard to see it when so many counties broke. Brooklyn still ONLY local suitor for #isles

15 Jun 12

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This is not surprising yet it is all at the same time. It's not surprising because all along there haven't appeared to be any real options besides Brooklyn. From a black and white standpoint I thought it was always easy to see that it was Brooklyn or bust.

 http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/blog/eye-on-hockey/19360649/nhl-rumors-is-it-brooklyn-or-bust-for-the-islanders-in-new-york

Its sad to think that the Islanders day in Nassau are nearing an end, but with a 3 billion dollar debt and a zoning too small to be profitable with an arena, there seem to be little choice left for the Islanders. 

Announcement of a Mall in Queens

On Thursday there will be an announcement of a mall and hotel to be built in Citi Fields parking lot.

Mayor Bloomberg is set to reveal the details for a 1 million-square-foot mall near Citi Field — a joint venture between Sterling Equities and Related Cos., sources told the Daily News.
Details for the first phase of Willets Point development, which will include a hotel and 30,000 square feet of retail space, will also be announced, sources said.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/mayor-unveil-willets-point-shopping-center-plan-thursday-article-1.1094457#ixzz1xi8PJ04K

What does this mean for the Islanders? It means that the possibility of the Islanders building an arena in one of Citi field's parking lots looks bleak.  Back in 2010 there were murmurs of the Islanders and Wilpons talking about an arena in Willets Point.  It seems like Queens and the Wilpons are ready to start developing the area around the Mets and the Islanders don't seem to be involve.

NIFA Joking about the Coliseum

While George Marlin was complaining about Ed Mangano's plan to privatize Nassau County's sewer system he took a shot at the Nassau Coliseum.

 “This is a form of back-door borrowing,” he blasted. “Potential financial investors who invest money to public-private partnerships expect annual returns of 10 percent to 15 percent. To suggest that a private operator will achieve enough efficiencies to cover most of that cost and that assessments or user fees will increase no more than the rate of inflation—well, anyone who believes that, I have a coliseum in Hempstead I would like to sell them,” Marlin added

http://www.longislandpress.com/2012/05/31/mangano-vows-to-forge-ahead-with-nassau-sewer-privatization/2/

Well Mr. Marlin if you know that the coliseum is a dump and a money loser, why don't you actually become part of the solution instead  of making jokes.  If you and NIFA think things are bad in Nassau now just think how bad they will be with the lost of  revenue from the lost of the Islanders.

Odds are in the Barclays Center Favor

According to a report from Chris Botta, the Barclays Center believes that there is better than a 50% chance that the Islanders will be in Brooklyn come 2015.

 Nets CEO Brett Yormark has not held back from talking big about the #Isles landing in Brooklyn. Sources say Yormark, in recent meetings with clients and prospective partners, has said that the chances of the NYI playing in Brooklyn in 2015 are "better than 50%." To be clear, this does not mean the NYI are definitely moving there. You cannot blame Yormark, a relentless salesman, for his sales pitch. But as of now, Brooklyn stands as the Isles' best (only?) option in the New York area if they leave Nassau.

http://sulia.com/channel/hockey/f/5f680215-7739-468e-87db-470dced7081d/?source=twitter

With Nassau financial crisis I would even consider Brooklyn the Islanders best option when taking Nassau into account.

Drop The Puck

Tomorrow I will be on Drop the Puck with Rob Sanderson, which starts at 10am.http://www.whtk.com/main.html

Interview was pushed back 

Botta on Brooklyn

 Gary Bettman had been against the #Isles in Brooklyn, making his visit to the arena - as reported by Larry Brooks - notable, if only as a symbol of CW's frustrations with Nassau and Hempstead. All the recent Brooklyn talk, including Bruce Ratner's Coliseum cameo late in the season, says something about the NYI's limited options in the metro area. When Newsday, quick to gun down the first Brooklyn reports by this blogger and others 3 years ago, gets on board, the hype will hit overdrive. 

http://sulia.com/channel/hockey/f/ff11b597-bbb9-49f3-8f99-0e7b6d22ae77/?source=twitter

Bettman Seen at the Barclays Center

Larry Brooks's of the New York Post reported that Gary Bettman was seen at the Barclays Center on Friday.  The fact that Bettman was at the arena could mean many things, but it should be seen as a positive to Islanders fans.  It puts pressure on Nassau when papers are reporting that Bettman is seen or talking to other New York locations.  In addition, it shows that the commissioner is exploring Brooklyn as a safety-net in case an arena can't be built elsewhere in the metropolitan area.  Like Brooks's said in his article.

    The Dodgers could have gone to Queens when they instead skedaddled to Los Angeles. It would be an everlasting shame if the Islanders were to go to Quebec (or Seattle) if they instead could move to Brooklyn.
It’s merely a subway ride, as our moles tell us the NHL commissioner took on Friday.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/bett_he_in_brooklyn_qGcsKa975uMtoie1AgRgcK#ixzz1wkKkgzEz

Is Belmont back in the Race for the Islanders?

A few months ago there were rumors about the Islanders staying in Nassau, but moving to Belmont as part of a casino development.  Those plans seemed all but dead when Governor Cuomo proposed his plan for the largest convention center in the country to build just down the road at Aqueduct.  The convention center was going to be built by Genting who in return wanted a class three casino with a 25 mile non compete on the site.  It seems like those plans have fallen through, which opens open the door for a Belmont deal again.  

Plans for a casino at Belmont Park , once considered dead and buried, may have received a breath of new life Friday when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that a proposal to build a convention center at nearby Aqueduct Racetrack has been scrapped.

State officials said plans for the convention center and casino would be shelved until voters decide the fate of legalized gambling in New York , likely by no earlier than fall 2013.

If successful, the state would accept bids for a "casino-convention center complex" somewhere in the New York metro area, although not necessarily at Aqueduct, said Cuomo spokesman Joshua Vlasto.

In the interim, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano urged Cuomo to restart conversations with the Shinnecock Indian Nation for a Belmont casino.

"The Shinnecock Nation needs state and federal authorization to build a casino," Mangano said. "Once achieved, it has the potential to create thousands of jobs, increase tourism, slow dollars going to other states and help subsidize the cost of government so that we can hold the line on property taxes."

 http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=2A97669B870DA50C27217E82D5A09A07?site=newsday&view=politics_item&feed:a=newsday_1min&feed:c=politics&feed:i=1.3757441&part=1

With or without the Shinnecock Belmont could be the saving grace to keep the Islanders in Nassau County.  Later this month RFPS will be gathered that include retail, residential and a sports arena.  This may be the best chance for the county to keep their only professional team and Wang to get the development he wants in the county he wants.

Next month, the Empire State Development Corporation will release a request for proposals to develop 36 acres of state land at Belmont. Those plans could include retail development and a sports venue, such as a professional soccer stadium, said Sen. Jack Martins (R- Mineola ). 

Although the article does mention such as a soccer stadium, I'm sure that could easily become a hcokey arena, since Nassau has a professional hockey team already. 

(Aqueduct currently has a racino  with only slot machines.  Gentings was in talks with the state to open up a full scale casino with table games.)

Botta Reports Isles Are NOT For Sale

Didn't even get to the Cup Final without another rumor about Charles Wang selling the #Isles. This one has him selling to Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov so the team could be moved to Brooklyn. I checked with both sides and have been assured nothing is happening at this time. Not even a hint of discussions. Said this a few times and I'll say it again: unless CW is blown away by an offer that enables him to recover most if not all of his 12 years of losses on the NYI, he's not selling. Next!

http://www.sulia.com/post/hockey/0d3cbb1d-ee64-4a58-ad71-df9f60975bde/

Gary Bettman Speaks Again

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/audio-on-demand/mike-francesa-1/#

Above is a link to Gary Bettman's interview with Mike Frances on WFAN.  The two talked about many issues with the NHL, but the one we're going focus on here is the Islanders arena issue.

  

Bettman says that there is nothing concrete on the Islanders arena issue and Nassau needs to get there act together.  Francesca said the problem is that Nassau is broke, and that he doubts that they will be able to get anything done.  When Bettman was asked if he is hopefully an arena will get built in Nassau, he responded by saying that he is hopeful that somewhere in the New York Metropolitan  will come through.

When the conversation turned to the Barclays Center, Bettman said that Brooklyn is an option that has to be explored.  He also mention how he personally hasn't seen the arena yet and will have to wait to see how hockey plays there.

Nothing really new mention in these comments about the Islanders arena situation, but it does seem like he has taken a softer tone when talking about the Islanders and the possibility of moving them to Brooklyn.

Chris Hasen Launches Website for Seattle Arena

Chris Hansen the man who is trying to bring the NBA back to Seattle, and is also trying find someone interested in bringing an NHL team, has launched a website about the arena situation.  This website tells supporters what they can do to help the cause and informs people about the arena proposal.

http://sonicsarena.com/

If Seattle gets approval of a state of an art arena that will make them that much more dangerous to Islander fans. Seattle is an interesting hockey market.  They had the first American team to win the Stanley Cup with the Metropolitans and their location to Vancouver would create an interesting rivalry.  While other location have completed or are in the process of completing arena plans, Islander fans are still waiting on Ed Mangano's promised next plan.  The clock is ticking and Mangano needs to come up with a realistic plan soon if he wants to keep the Islanders.   

Tour of the Barclays Center

One Long Island Team will get Major Renovation to their Arena, but not the Islanders

The 21 million dollars that have been frozen since 2008 for Stoney Brook's renovations of their basketball arena have been freed up.  The Sea Wolves will be able to to have a state of an art multipurpose arena that has been designed by one of the groups involved in Citi Field.

   For the past four seasons, Stony Brook's basketball teams have played in 1,800-seat Pritchard Gymnasium while Stony Brook Arena lay dormant next door, awaiting previously approved state funds for renovation to be unfrozen. The wait ends tomorrow when university officials formally announce a $21.1 million construction project to create a 4,000-seat sports and entertainment venue.

Construction is expected to begin the second week of June, and the facility is scheduled to open in the fall of 2014. The renovations will include four luxury boxes and a VIP lounge area at the loge level with premium courtside seating, thanks to an anonymous private donation of $1 million because state funds cannot be used for that purpose. The north side of the current structure will expand toward the parking lot to create room for concessions, restrooms and a concourse.

Seating capacity for basketball will be 4,008, expandable to 4,200 with floor seating for entertainment events. Unlike the previous arena, most of the seating is permanent except for grandstands that roll back at each end of the court, where student seating is located. One of the architectural companies involved also designed Citi Field for the Mets.

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=505DDFECACC0D080B18902345522EEE4?site=newsday&view=sports_item&feed:a=newsday_5min&feed:c=sports&feed:i=1.3728108&part=0

While 21 million wouldn't put a dent into the work the coliseum would need if renovations is the direction the county and the Isles go in, it is nice to see a Long Island team being able to get an arena to compete in today's economic climate.  The state already has 30 million put aside for the Islanders arena, but a lot more funds are going be needed if the Islanders are going get their own hockey multipurpose arena to stay on Long Island proper. 

Will the Islanders be able to get the renovations or new arena they need to be able to compete in today's sports climate?  One Long Island team has!

For Those Who Think Brooklyn's Layout Could Never Be Changed

There are a lot of people who say that the Barclays Center hockey layout couldn't be changed even if everyone involved wanted to.  Well the Coyotes played in an arena with similar issues and the city of Phoenix had a plan to fix the poor end of the America West Arena.

The city of Phoenix and America West Arena officials plan to unveil a proposal Thursday that would fix the view from up to 3,300 seats, ensuring hockey fans can see both goals.

"There will be more than 17,000 seats with unobstructed views in the arena," Sheryl Sculley, the assistant city manager, said Tuesday.

Currently, fans in 4,200 of the seats can only see one goal when the Phoenix Coyotes play there.

The first phase of the city's proposal would replace about 2,000 of the seats at a cost of $10 million. A second phase could replace an additional 1,300 seats and make other improvements.

Phoenix officials said the renovations would create different seat configurations for varying sporting events. They have recommended that the changes be made even if the Coyotes move to Scottsdale.

Sculley said the plan would be paid for through the arena fund already used to make improvements at the city-owned facility.

"The Coyotes are a great team to have downtown. We want them to stay downtown. We want them to stay at America West," Sculley said. "We hope this takes care of it."

http://hockey.ballparks.com/NHL/PhoenixCoyotes/index.htm

 These changes were never made to the America West Arena, since the Coyotes were unhappy with there lease and wanted there own arena.  The Islanders know all to well the effect a terrible lease can have on a franchise.  The Islanders have what is consider the worse lease in sports and it has had a strangle hold on the team since the day they agreed to it in 1986.  The key for any deal concerning the Islanders is going to be the lease.  The lease will be what determines how successful the team will be wherever they play be it Nassau, Suffolk, Brooklyn, Queens, or even if they leave New York.

If the Islanders ever do move to Brooklyn and the team is successful on and off the ice there, the layout of for hockey at the Barclays Center could and would most likely be changed to make accommodations.  I wouldn't expect major changes to the arena at first, but over time if everybody is happy with the deal those changes can and will most likely take place.

NIFA Shows Its Power

NIFA has just nixed a 26 million dollar plan for improvements to Aquatic Center in Nassau.  It was believed by many that even if last summer's referendum won the election that NIFA would of killed it.  NIFA is a panel put together by Albany to review and approve Nassau's financial decisions, since they in such bad economic shape.

NIFA is the major challenge Mangano faces if he wants to use taxpayers money towards a new Coliseum.  While Kate Murray is the challenge preventing private development at the site with her joke of a zoning.  Ed Mangano is going have to find away to work with or around both of them if he wants to keep the Islanders in Nassau County.

 Nassau 's financial control board has turned down a $26 million plan to refurbish the county's Aquatic Center in Eisenhower Park, but approved a $5.4 million contract to renovate the now-closed police shooting range in Hempstead .

Members of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority questioned the cost of the Aquatic Center project before rejecting a $21.8 million contract with E & A Restoration on Thursday. NIFA staff reported the county had already borrowed $11 million, spent $4 million on new machinery, and wanted to borrow an additional $14.8 million.

Although the center's swimming pool and surrounding building is only 13 years old, high humidity and high air chlorine from an improperly designed heating and air conditioning system damaged the duct work, roof, walls and electrical systems, according to the staff report.

NIFA member Chris Wright said spending that kind of money for a recreation facility is "fiscally imprudent even in a good year." NIFA member Dermond Thomas questioned why the county had not prioritized the work by health and safety issues. Chairman Ronald Stack said the county "could come back with a scaled-down contract, saying exactly what they're going to do."

 http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;jsessionid=FF9C278E195D278BCAE61AF6AB1E436D?site=newsday&view=top_stories_item&feed:a=newsday_1min&feed:c=topstories&feed:i=1.3726840

I wonder what Chris Wright would have to say about using county money towards a sports arena then.