The Islanders May Come Home...To Belmont

According to the commissioner of the NHL, the Islanders are in talks to leave Brooklyn and return to Long Island. But it probably won't be to the newly renovated Nassau Coliseum. Instead, the team is likely to submit a bid to build a new arena at Belmont Park.

According to Newsday, Commissioner Gary Bettman made the comments about the Islanders to a group of sports editors from the Associated Press on Friday.

"Yes, there is an RFP [request for proposal] for Belmont and I know they are going to participate in that," Newsday quoted Bettman saying. "I believe that everyone thinks there is a terrific opportunity there, if not at Willets Point, to create a more hockey friendly environment for the Islanders, which is something Scott [Malkin] is committed to do."

The site at Belmont Park has been under consideration for development of many different projects over the last few years. Among the plans that were rejected by the state late last year was a 25,000-seat soccer stadium for the New York Cosmos. In February, the team announced it was leaving Long Island to play in Brooklyn.

Neighbors of Belmont Park in Elmont wanted a shopping center, supermarket or other community friendly development put on the site.

"Barring a last-ditch change, because like I said this is not 100 percent … they are dotting I’s and crossing T’s … there will be a new arena built on the Belmont Park track site that will house the Islanders in the future," said WFAN's Craig Carton, according to CBS.

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