A massive step towards the Islanders putting shovels in the ground for their new Belmont arena took place today as Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the transformational $1.26 billion Belmont Park Redevelopment Project will benefit from a full-time Long Island Rail Road train station, the first full-time LIRR station in nearly 50 years, helping mitigate traffic concerns and providing a new amenity to the Elmont community!
This should severely calm down even the most negative Islanders fan who thinks that Belmont isn't happen.... Look at the money figures going into this... Guys, its happening!
Governor Cuomo also released the financial analysis of the projects economic impact which takes into account the arena, hotel and retail village. That study says the new development will generate nearly $50 million in new public revenue per year and produce $725 million in annual economic output.
If you're an insane diehard fan or just an accountant who gets excited about numbers you can read the full analysis here.
Governor Cuomo said, "The Belmont project will help drive the region's economy forward while building the Islanders a state-of-the-art facility at home on Long Island, creating thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic output along the way. Now with the addition of the first full-time LIRR train station in almost 50 years, we will provide millions of visitors and fans a fast and affordable way to get there and continue New York's nation-leading investments in 21st century transportation infrastructure."
Islanders Co-Owner Jon Ledecky followed up saying, "Today we celebrate with our loyal fans and we thank Governor Cuomo, the elected officials, and the community for their ongoing support. Next Stop: Belmont!"
What makes this a giant leap forward is two things.
1. This will be a full time station that not only will provide fans coming from the east and west a direct line right to the arena, eliminating what exists now which has fans traveling from the east going past Belmont Park to Jamaica Station just to transfer and go back towards Belmont, but it will also provide local residents with much needed public transit to get to popular destinations from Montauk to Manhattan. This is a huge help to the Elmont community and will relieve a lot of traffic concerns not only for the future development but also for current activities happening at Belmont Park.
2. The Islanders are essentially picking up the tab. You want to get things done quickly... Pay for it. Give back to the community. And that's what the Islanders are doing in this situation. Constructing the new full-time station on the LIRR's Main Line and upgrading the existing spur cost approximately $105 million. The arena developers will cover $97 million with the State investing $8 million.
This is great news all around. The community gets what it needs and the team will get what it needs. The fans are the winners today. Thank you Mr. Malkin and Mr. Ledecky!
Also, not that we're going out on a limb here because it is Long Island after all, but notice in the artist rendering below the advertisement on the side of the train track... We're betting that Billy will be opening the new arena...
I know, I know... Bold prediction...
As we were publishing this piece it was just announced that New York State has approved and certified the Environmental Impact Statement for the new Islanders Belmont Arena!
Here's the first artist rendering available!
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