UBS Arena

UBS Arena is a $1.5 billion[6] multi-purpose arena under construction and development in Elmont, New York, next to the Belmont Park race track. The venue is projected to open for the 2021–22 NHL season. The arena will serve as the home of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL)[7] and will host around 150 major events annually[6]. UBS holds the exclusive naming rights to the arena.[8]

UBS Arena

"The Stable"[1]
Artist rendering of the front of UBS Arena.
UBS Arena Location near New York City Show map of New York City UBS Arena Location within the State of New York Show map of New York UBS Arena Location within the United States Show map of the United States
Former names	Belmont Park Arena (planning/construction)[2]
Address	2150 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY, 11003
Location	Elmont, New York, U.S.
Coordinates	40.712094°N 73.727157°W / 40.712094; -73.727157
Public transit	Elmont station and Belmont Park
Owner	New York Arena Partners
Operator	New York Islanders
Type	Arena
Capacity	Ice hockey: 17,113 Concerts: 18,853
Construction
Broke ground	September 23, 2019[3]
Construction cost	$1 billion (including development)
Architect	Populous[4] JRDV Urban International[5] Stantec[5]
Tenants
New York Islanders (NHL) 2021– (planned)

History

Lighthouse Project

Construction on the Lighthouse Project was not planned to begin until at least mid-2009. Nassau County approved the project in 2006 on a 16–2 vote, and the draft environmental impact statement was completed after a state-mandated environmental review.[9] The Lighthouse Project was then expected to go before the Town of Hempstead for approval on a change in land zoning.[10] However, the approval was never granted. After the October 2009 deadline passed, the Long Island Press reported the Lighthouse Project's cancellation.[11]

On July 12, 2010, Town Supervisor Kate Murray (R-Hempstead) announced an “alternate zone” created for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum property, downsizing the original Lighthouse Project to half its proposed size and making the project, according to then-Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and the developers, "economically unviable for both the developer and owner of the site". From that point, the Lighthouse Project would no longer be pursued by then-Islanders owner Charles Wang, Mangano and the developers.[12]

Willets Point

In May 2010, Jeff Wilpon, COO of the New York Mets of Major League Baseball, had discussions with Wang about constructing a new arena for the Islanders in the Willets Point neighborhood of Queens, adjacent to the Mets' ballpark, Citi Field. Wilpon also discussed the possibility of buying the Islanders.[13] In June 2010, the website FanHouse reported that Jeff and Fred Wilpon, the owner of the Mets, began working with real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle (who is also working on the renovation of Madison Square Garden) on a feasibility study of a new Islanders arena in Queens.[14] However, a source from Newsday indicated that the FanHouse report was not true.[15] There were also reports that businessman Nelson Peltz wanted to buy the Islanders and move them to Barclays Center in Brooklyn.[16]

Voter referendum

On May 11, 2011, the Islanders and Nassau County executives announced that county residents would vote on a referendum for approval of a $400 million public bond issue for a new plan to replace the Coliseum. The plan, including the construction of a new $350 million arena as well as a $50 million minor league baseball ballpark nearby, was presented by Wang as a last-ditch effort to keep the Islanders in Nassau County.[17] However, voters in Nassau County rejected a proposal by a 57% to 43% margin on August 1, 2011.

Barclays Center

On October 24, 2012, the Islanders announced the team would move to Barclays Center in Brooklyn after their lease expired at the end of the 2014–15 season.[18]

Since the Islanders moved to Barclays Center, there have been numerous complaints about obstructed-view seats.[19] The arena was built primarily for basketball, and has a hockey configuration in which the scoreboard is off-centered above the blue line, and an asymmetrical seating configuration with only three rows of permanent seating on the northwest end of the arena. As a result, many seats are obstructed, with several hundred not sold at all.[20] Business Insider has called sections 201 to 204 and 228 to 231 "the worst seat in American professional sports".[21] In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark acknowledged the issue, but insisted nothing can be done: "There's really nothing we’re going to do from a capital improvement standpoint. You can watch the game on your mobile device. The game is on the scoreboard."[22] There have been numerous complaints about the quality of the ice during hockey games. The arena uses PVC piping instead of steel piping under the ice surface, making it much harder to maintain NHL standards and temperature.[23]

Planning and design

On December 20, 2017, it was announced that the Islanders won a bid to build a new 19,000-seat arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York in Nassau County,[24][25] beating out a competing proposal by New York City FC of Major League Soccer for their soccer-specific stadium project.

New York Arena Partners, a combination of the Islanders, Oak View Group, and Sterling Equities, proposed to build a mixed-use entertainment complex that will include an approximately 600,000 sq ft (56,000 m²), 19,000-seat multi-use arena that will be home to the New York Islanders; a 350,000 sq ft (33,000 m²) retail, dining, and entertainment village; a 193,000 sq ft (17,900 m²) 250-room hotel; and 10,000 sq ft (930 m²) of offices and parking. In July 2019, the plan was adopted by the Empire State Development Corporation board. The plan also includes a new Elmont station on the LIRR, in addition to the hotel, arena, and retail village.[26]

UBS Arena is poised to become a global landmark entertainment and sports destination[27].

The venue is designed with artists in mind to ensure the performers and crew have efficient and effortless access. In partnership with Oak View Group, Live Nation and The Azoff Company, the UBS Arena offers a bespoke, back-of-house campus and efficient load in/load out services[28].

A state of the art sound system, the largest scoreboard in New York[29], theatrical lightning, ice video projections, POS solutions[27], 5G cellular[27] and fast Wi-Fi service aim to create one of the best fan experiences[28]. In addition, UBS Arena will offer high-end amenities and customer service, through VIP suites and clubs that merge boutique hospitality with live entertainment. Clubs and suites will have a timeless design inspired by classic, well-known New York establishments and will offer premier views of the bowl. The arena also includes outdoor terraces open to all guests, world-class acoustics and theater-inspired game presentation. UBS Arena’s exterior and interior will pay homage to iconic New York landmarks, including Grand Central Terminal[30], Prospect Park Boathouse[31] and the Park Avenue Armory[32]. Completing UBS Arena, Belmont Park’s campus will comprise 315,000 sq ft of luxury retail and will include a 4-star boutique hotel with up to 250 rooms[32].

To ensure the health and safety of patrons and staff, the venue is being designed with advanced safety measures in mind.[33]

Construction

On September 23, 2019, the groundbreaking was held for the arena featuring New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, and officials, alumni and current players from the Islanders.[34]

On March 27, 2020, construction was paused due to an order from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to stop all non-essential construction work until April 21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 16, 2020, it was announced that the pause was extended to May 15, 2020. On May 9, 2020, it was announced that the pause was further extended to May 23, 2020.

On May 27, 2020, construction resumed as part of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s phased regional reopening plan for New York State. Team officials said that they expect construction to finish in time for the Islanders to begin play there in October 2021, despite the 2 month pause.[35]

On July 22, 2020, the New York Islanders announced that the arena will be named UBS Arena, after the Swiss Bank UBS.[8] The deal is reportedly worth $350 million over 20 years.[36]

Social and economic footprint

The $1.5 billion project and surrounding redevelopment expected to generate approximately $25 billion in economic activity, including major infrastructure improvements, 10,000 construction jobs, and 3,000 permanent jobs[37] of which 30% are to be set aside for local residents[30].

The $1.5 billion private investment into the arena and the overall surrounding campus will provide a significant boost, of approximately $25 billion, to the regional economy at a time when economic activity has slowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic[38]. The project will also inject much needed stimulus into the New York economy and the local community, with the goal of filling 30% of UBS Arena’s permanent jobs with workers who live in the surrounding area. Thirty percent of contracting dollars for construction will also be earmarked for state-certified minority and female-owned businesses, and 6% will be earmarked for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses[37]. There also are plans for an additional $100 million investment in transit and infrastructure enhancements, including the first, newly constructed Long Island Rail Road station in almost 50 years[31].

UBS Arena will also commit a significant philanthropic investment to drive economic redevelopment and strengthen the local community. The primary focus of these efforts will be on improving college and career readiness for local youth by providing programming related to post-secondary education and entrepreneurship, both of which are longtime cornerstones of UBS’s community impact efforts across the Americas region[39].

The Arena is being built to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED v4) standards for Building Design and Construction. In an effort to build a greener future, UBS Arena is working with world-class sustainability experts to minimize the environmental impact of the venue and become a zero waste facility, utilizing renewable energy sources and reducing water and electricity consumption[32].

References

1. O'Leary, Matt (September 29, 2019). "New York Islanders: UBS Arena Already Has a Nickname". FanSided. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
2. "PHOTOS: Belmont Park Arena Groundbreaking". NHL.com. September 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
3. Compton, Brian (September 23, 2019). "Islanders break ground for new arena on Long Island". NHL.com. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
4. Baumbach, Jim (January 15, 2018). "Islanders' Belmont Arena Would Take About 3 Years to Open". Newsday. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
5. Walker, Tom (August 13, 2019). "New York's US$1.3bn Belmont Park indoor arena approved – design team includes JRDV Architects, Populous and Stantec". CLAD News. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
6. "UBS Secures Naming Rights to New York's Next Premier Entertainment and Sports Venue and Future Home of the New York Islanders". global. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
7. "Cuomo, Islanders Make Belmont Official". New York Islanders. December 20, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
8. "UBS Secures Naming Rights to Future Home of the New York Islanders". NHL.com. July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
9. Moore, Elizabeth (March 10, 2009). "Even Without Stimulus, Nassau Committed to Lighthouse". Newsday. Retrieved August 26, 2008.
10. Rieber, Anthony (March 4, 2009). "Papers Reveal Isles Will Leave Without Lighthouse OK". Newsday. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
11. Martino, Jr., Michael (October 14, 2009). "Press Exclusive: Plug Is Pulled On Lighthouse". Long Island Press. Archived from the original on October 16, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2009.
12. "Zoning move cuts Lighthouse in half". LIHerald.com. July 12, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
13. Mennella, Dan (May 12, 2010). "Mets, Isles talk about arena near Citi". Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
14. Botta, Christoper (June 14, 2010). "Mets Owners Working With Real Estate Firm on Queens Arena for Islanders". Fanhouse. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
15. "Report: No firm hired in Isles relocation affair". ESPN.com. June 14, 2010.
16. Hirshon, Nicholas (January 7, 2011). "Brooklyn-Queens battle for the Islanders team brewing". New York Daily News. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
17. "Last chance for Islanders? Arena plans rest on Aug. 1 vote". Yahoo! Sports.
18. Gretz, Adam (October 24, 2012). "New York Islanders will move to Brooklyn in 2015". CBS Sports. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
19. Raskin, Alex (October 2, 2015). "The Good Views and Bad Views About Barclays Center". The Wall Street Journal.
20. "Everything You Need to Know About Barclays Center's Hockey Configuration". New York Magazine. September 13, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
21. Garber, Jonathan (October 12, 2015). "Brooklyn's Barclays Center might have the worst seat in American professional sports". Business Insider.
22. Fuchs, Jeremy (February 3, 2016). "Islanders tackling many challenges during first season in Brooklyn". Sports Illustrated.
23. "In Year 2, Barclays Center Ice Still a Problem". lighthousehockey.com. October 22, 2016.
24. "It's official: New York Islanders heading back to Nassau County". WABC. New York. December 20, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
25. "Belmont Park Redevelopment-Conditional Designation of New YorkArena Partners ("NYAP") as Developer" (PDF). esd.ny.gov. December 19, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
26. "Long Island's & NYC's News Source - Newsday". Newsday. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
27. "Islanders Sign UBS To 20-Year Contract As Title Sponsor Of Belmont Park". July 22, 2020.
28. "UBS Secures Naming Rights to OVG's Belmont Park Arena in New York". Billboard. July 22, 2020.
29. "Islanders' new home to be called UBS Arena". NHL.com.
30. "UBS naming rights". www.bizjournals.com. July 22, 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
31. "UBS reaches 20-year deal for Islanders' arena naming rights". AP NEWS. July 22, 2020.
32. LoRé, Michael. "UBS Secures Naming Rights To Islanders' New Home At Belmont Park". Forbes.
33. "UBS scores naming rights". Bloomberg. 2020-07-22. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
34. "Governor Cuomo Breaks Ground on New Belmont Park Arena". NHL.com. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
35. "Long Island's & NYC's News Source - Newsday". Newsday. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
36. "Islanders Belmont Park Arena Naming Rights Going To UBS". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
37. "NHL: UBS reaches 20-year pact for Islanders' arena naming rights". July 22, 2020 – via www.reuters.com.
38. July 22, Jeff Berman |; PM, 2020 at 03:31. "UBS Scores Naming Rights to New NY Islanders NHL Venue". ThinkAdvisor.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
39. "New York Islanders Arena at Belmont Now Has a [ingloriously sponsored] Name". Lighthouse Hockey. July 22, 2020.

External links

• Official Website

Preceded by Barclays Center & Nassau Coliseum	Home of the New York Islanders 2021– (tentative)	Succeeded by N/A