UBS Arena
UBS Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located within Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, United States, directly adjacent to the New York City limits. Opened in 2021, it is the home of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Nassau Coliseum and Barclays Center. The arena officially seats 17,250 patrons for NHL games and up to 19,000 for concerts and other select events. Fans and sports writers have affectionately nicknamed the arena "The Stable" due to the arena being located at Belmont Park, a famous thoroughbred racing venue.
Former names
Belmont Park Arena (planning/construction)[1]
2400 Hempstead Turnpike
New York Arena Partners
(a joint venture of the New York Islanders, Oak View Group, and Sterling Equities)
Ice hockey: 17,255
Concerts: 19,000
September 23, 2019[4]
2019–2021
November 20, 2021[7]
US$1 billion (including development)
Populous
Hunt / Barton Malow JV
History[edit]
The Lighthouse Project and Barclays Center[edit]
The Nassau Coliseum was the second-oldest facility in the NHL, behind only the twice-renovated Madison Square Garden. It was also the second-smallest arena in the league, with only Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg being smaller. Various attempts had been made to pursue a renovation or replacement of the aging facility, including the Lighthouse Project—a 2004 proposal to renovate the Coliseum and build a larger sport, entertainment, and residential district around it (including a minor-league ballpark and a 60-story high-rise from which the proposal derived its name).[8] While Nassau County approved a version of the Lighthouse Project, the town of Hempstead never granted a change in zoning that was required for its construction, and the project was reported to have been cancelled.[9][10]
In May 2010, Jeff Wilpon, then COO of Major League Baseball's New York Mets, had discussions with then-Islanders owner Charles 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.[11]
On July 12, 2010, Hempstead supervisor Kate Murray announced an "alternate zone" created for the 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 Wang, Mangano and the developers.[12]
In June 2010, FanHouse reported that Jeff Wilpon and his father, then-Mets owner Fred Wilpon, had begun working with real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle (who also worked on the renovation of Madison Square Garden) on a feasibility study of a new Islanders arena in Queens.[13] However, a source from Newsday indicated that the FanHouse report was not true.[14] There were also reports that businessman Nelson Peltz wanted to buy the Islanders and move them to Barclays Center in Brooklyn.[15]
In August 2011, Nassau County voters voted against a referendum that would have granted a $400 million public bond to construct a $350 million arena and $50 million minor league ballpark. The plan was presented by Wang as a last-ditch effort to keep the Islanders in Nassau County.[16] In October 2012, the Islanders announced that they would re-locate to Barclays Center in Brooklyn once their lease of the Coliseum expired after the 2014–15 season.[17] Meanwhile, a group led by Bruce Ratner (who had developed Barclays Center) secured an $89 million bid to renovate the Coliseum, aiming to host a minor hockey team as its main tenant, and have six Islanders games played there per season.[18][19][20]
As Barclays Center was designed primarily as a basketball arena, its hockey configuration was criticized by fans for having seats with obstructed views, while its ice quality was criticized as substandard by players.[21][22]
Notable events[edit]
Ice hockey[edit]
On November 20, 2021, the Islanders played their first game at UBS Arena, a 5–2 loss to the Calgary Flames. The Flames' Brad Richardson scored the arena's first goal, while Brock Nelson scored the first Islanders goal. [35][36] The Islanders started 0–5–2 at UBS Arena. Their first home win at the venue came on December 11, in a 4–2 win against the New Jersey Devils.[37]
The first Stanley Cup playoffs game at UBS Arena took place on April 21, 2023, when the Islanders defeated the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 5–1. Casey Cizikas of the Islanders scored the first playoff goal in the arena.[38]
UBS Arena is scheduled to host the 2026 NHL All-Star Game, having been awarded it during the 2024 NHL Stadium Series on February 18, 2024.[39]
The Professional Women's Hockey League's (PWHL) New York team will hold some of its home games at UBS Arena starting on January 10, 2024.[40][41]
College basketball[edit]
The first college basketball game at UBS Arena was played on December 3, 2021, between the nearby St. John's Red Storm and the Kansas Jayhawks as part of the annual Big East–Big 12 Battle. The Jayhawks won the game 95–75.[42] The Iona Gaels also hosted the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens on December 21, 2021.[43]
Professional wrestling[edit]
The November 29, 2021 episode of WWE's Monday Night Raw took place at the arena. The December 8, 2021 episode of All Elite Wrestling's Dynamite took place at UBS Arena,[44] as well as the taping for that week's episode of AEW Rampage, which aired on December 10.[45]
Mixed martial arts[edit]
On July 16, 2022, the arena held its first MMA and UFC event, hosting UFC on ABC: Ortega vs. Rodríguez.[46]
Concerts[edit]
British singer Harry Styles held the arena's first public concert on November 28, 2021.[47] He also performed the entirety of his latest album Harry's House for the first time live on May 20, 2022.[48]