New Nassau Coliseum Plans In The Works With Barclays Center Developer Ratner
MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - New plans are in the works for Nassau Coliseum, now that it has been announced that the Islanders are moving to Brooklyn's Barclays Center starting with the 2015-2016 season.
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano has announced his push for the Coliseum to be rebuilt into a state of the art sports and entertainment complex with the help of the man behind Barclays Center.
WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reports
Podcast
Mangano said Bruce Ratner, the developer behind the new Brooklyn arena, will help make the plans for the new Coliseum.
"I think the big thing that we're offering is that we've been through the process of creating an arena with respect to fan experience, with respect to physical structure, with respect to marketing," Ratner told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall.
As for the price tag of a new sports complex and what the cost may be for taxpayers, Mangano said that has not yet been sorted out.
"We will be advancing that as the contract stage goes forward," Mangano told Hall.
Ratner said the goal is to come up with an arena that will work for all parties.
"There is no cost accounted for our time and effort. There will be some cost expended by our company in putting together the studies," Ratner said.
A proposal for the new Coliseum is expected in the first half of 2013.
The public voted down a plan last year to borrow $400 million to build a new Coliseum.
Residents said their taxes are high enough and they did not want them to increase any more.
Do you support a new Coliseum, regardless of cost? Sound off in the comments section below...