Islanders’ Belmont project officially approved

There are still a lot of hoops to jump through (thank you Long Island) but the Belmont Project is officially a go.  It’s a monumental day for Islanders fans, and a day that should be celebrated.  There was already work going on in the Belmont parking lots so clearly everyone knew it would be a slam dunk in favor of the project, but nonetheless it’s good to see pen finally be put to paper.

The next steps, according to Jim Baumbach, is for the developer and ESD (Empire State Development) to obtain permits and finalize the lease.  Some additional notes are below;

The FOB is going through a series of approvals necessary for the Isles project. Everything is happening without questions or issues raised.

— Jim Baumbach (@jimbaumbach) August 13, 2019

Okay, it's all done. Islanders' Belmont project has its final approval, from the FOB. Next up, the developer needs to finalize a lease with ESD and obtain the proper permits to officially start work.

— Jim Baumbach (@jimbaumbach) August 13, 2019

And of course we wait for the potential filing of litigation; that window is open until the beginning of December.

— Jim Baumbach (@jimbaumbach) August 13, 2019

It took a lot of bureaucratic red tape and they still haven’t officially put a shovel in the ground, but the Islanders look to have a new home.  It’s a shame that their former owner, Charles Wang, wasn’t able to see his vision come to fruition.  Wang had previously tried twice to keep the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum, with two separate projects, the most notable being the Lighthouse Project that failed.

It’s a great day to be an Islander fan and an even better day to be a member of the Islanders organization.  Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky, Lou Lamoriello and the rest of the Islanders staff and players must be thrilled.  Having a new home locked down also means that free agents may be more keen to come to Long Island, as they know they won’t be switching from arena to arena.

Overall, August 13th is a net positive for all Islanders fans, staff members and alumni.  It’s nice to finally call a place home.  The next step?  A shovel in the ground.