Nassau County Exec Mangano & Islanders reach deal on new LI Coliseum pending Voter approval

[Shortline Bus]

I may not always agree with the two of you on some political issues, but I must say that you two frequently bring up some excellent points that make perfect sense!

 

 

 

In all actuality, transit projects should be seen as investments at times as well. More so in urban areas though. NYCT is a main reason why NYC's economy is slightly better than other places. Take Detroit for example, which has worse public transit than some third world countries. If you don't have reliable transportation, you don't have reliable employees. That's one of the main reasons Detroit's economy is in the tank. People can't rely on their buses for much at all outside of main corridors.

 

The costs of the arena will be offset only when the place actually turns a profit. That's won't be for at least a decade.

 

If not mistaken I read that Detroit is in final stages of buliding a light rail through the cities and nearby suburus '8' mile and Dearborn.

 

Back to topic. Wang should be paying at least 1/2 of the costs. I thought the days of a city/region paying for all of the costs of stadiums/sports arena were over.:confused:

[Via Garibaldi 8]

In all actuality, transit projects should be seen as investments at times as well. More so in urban areas though. NYCT is a main reason why NYC's economy is slightly better than other places. Take Detroit for example, which has worse public transit than some third world countries. If you don't have reliable transportation, you don't have reliable employees. That's one of the main reasons Detroit's economy is in the tank. People can't rely on their buses for much at all outside of main corridors.

 

The costs of the arena will be offset only when the place actually turns a profit. That's won't be for at least a decade.

 

This is true, but you also have to look at the flip side. Long Island as a whole would stand to lose far more if the Islanders relocated. This is about Long Island moreso than the Islanders beause while the Islanders will be the main show, other events will be held in the new arena.

 

As far as the transportation situation goes, no one has yet to answer my question. Are there no other transportation companies aside from the that can handle the needs of Long Island and move folks effectively via the bus and at reasonable rates?? Seeing what the has to pay per passenger for bus service on Long Island, Mangano would be smart to find a cheaper provider who may be able to save Long Island money AND provide better service. I'm going to take a wait and see approach because I think having the as the "sole provider" in this region is far too dangerous. We need competition to cut down on the waste and incompetence. I say give the a run for their money and look some competition come in. The is far too big for its own good, and the folks suffering are the passengers.

[Shortline Bus]

This is true, but you also have to look at the flip side. Long Island as a whole would stand to lose far more if the Islanders relocated. This is about Long Island moreso than the Islanders beause while the Islanders will be the main show, other events will be held in the new arena.

 

As far as the transportation situation goes, noone has yet to answer my question. Are there no other transportation companies aside from the that can handle the needs of Long Island and move folks effectively via the bus and at reasonable rates?? Seeing what the has to pay per passenger for bus service on Long Island, Mangano would be smart to find a cheaper provider who may be able to save Long Island money AND provide better service. I'm going to take wait and see approach because I think having the as the "sole provider" in this region is far too dangerous. We need competition to cut down on the waste and incompetence. I say give the a run for their money and look some competition come in. The is far too big for its own good, and the folks suffering are the passengers.

 

 

You make a good point. The new stadiums/ballparks and arenas bulit in last 15years or so across the US are not just for the teams that are the primary tenants.

 

These sports arenas for instance during the summer can be used for the current top music performers in the country doing tours. This summer of 2011 it's Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z and Taylor Swift. While veterans like U2 and Janet Jackson are hitting the road.

 

Even the NFL stadiums are used for these shows as well as way to make sure they in use year round.

[R68 Subway Car]

The Islanders totally need a new arena. Hopefully, they will not price out the fans in the new arena, but considering sports these days, do not be surprised if they do.

[B35 via Church]

public transportation > the building/renovation/rejuvenation of any sporting arena....

 

sporting is entertainment... public transportation (especially in any major city) holds far more relevancy, and importance.... isn't Nassau county one of the fastest growing counties in the nation... for it not to have any type of bus service w/i the county (at the very least) would be nothin short of mind boggling; regardless of what % of Nassau is, or would be considered car-centric.... I'd stop to think that the majority of LIRR users in Nassau, are traveling to the boroughs (namely, Manhattan)... Wonder if Checkmate can pull up a stat showing how many, or what % of LIRR users travel w/i Nassau county.... My point here is, it's not enough to just say something like "well, at least they have the train"; that's pretty much shunning ppl. that have to get around the county; which is not an easy task using the LIRR....

 

If Nassau wants to start up their own transportation company (or find another provider), by all means... it doesn't HAVE to be MTA ran (that's not what I'm implying at all).... Mangano doesn't have to succumb to the MTA; but to place more importance on a sporting arena over a county's bus system (which is what he's doing here, albeit indirectly); you have to at least question that.... I find it (and him) to be very incompetent, myself....

 

Not saying a sporting arena isn't important... my argument is that, it isn't AS important....

[SubwayGuy]

Yeah, but you're overlooking his losses and you and I know that if you were in his shoes, you would not continue to see your money go down the drain while you have no new arena and as a result continue to take losses because you can't draw big names to the team like other teams can who have new arenas.

 

You don't know anything about what I would do so stop making hypothetical arguments.

 

I'm not overlooking his losses. He's a businessman and that's the way it goes. Not everyone is entitled to make money just because they bought something. That's why buying a team, just like buying a share of stock is an INVESTMENT that can go up or down in value. Owning a team is not a right to make money. If you manage the team badly, you SHOULD lose money. That's the way it goes.

 

He has an arena, and the Islanders did well when he made the effort to put a competitive team on the ice. Now that he doesn't, why would anyone go? They wouldn't. His team takes on losses because just like the fictional owner of the Cleveland Indians in the movie Major League, he was running the team into the ground on purpose to prove "how much" they needed a new stadium (or to relocate) so that the taxpayers (whether on Long Island or somewhere else) could pay for it all.

 

And now he's getting what he wants. The working and middle class of the county will have to either pay more in taxes down the road or see a proportionate decline in the services provided by the county, so that this arrogant rich f***stick a**hole can charge the taxpayers more money when they go to see the Islanders, and so a little real estate development retail empire designed to separate people from their money (but give them lots of useless non-durable goods in return) can prosper off their backs.

 

I'm willing to say that Long Island would suffer far more without the Islanders there than they would under the current situation. If they get the new arena, I think things will turn around for them. Actually they played hard last year and did have a good team, but they've been hit hard by injuries the last few years, so I disagree about you saying that he's purposely putting a sh*tty product on the ice.

 

They won't turn around until the owner gets his head out of his ass and stops being a cheap prick. Garth Snow has done a good job at GM with the limited resources he has, but if you look at the bargain basement cast of thousands they employ on defense every year it's a joke.

 

Never mind the owner agreeing to the ridiculousness of a 15 year contract for a goalie that is mediocre when healthy, often injured, and has never proven anything in the game...

 

The team has remained competitive because of Snow's efforts, but not because of anything the owner has done. All the owner has done is lowball Snow and tell him what he can't spend (ie why Ryan Smyth didn't resign with the Islanders after they traded for him)

[Via Garibaldi 8]

You don't know anything about what I would do so stop making hypothetical arguments.

 

I'm not overlooking his losses. He's a businessman and that's the way it goes. Not everyone is entitled to make money just because they bought something. That's why buying a team, just like buying a share of stock is an INVESTMENT that can go up or down in value. Owning a team is not a right to make money. If you manage the team badly, you SHOULD lose money. That's the way it goes.

 

He has an arena, and the Islanders did well when he made the effort to put a competitive team on the ice. Now that he doesn't, why would anyone go? They wouldn't. His team takes on losses because just like the fictional owner of the Cleveland Indians in the movie Major League, he was running the team into the ground on purpose to prove "how much" they needed a new stadium (or to relocate) so that the taxpayers (whether on Long Island or somewhere else) could pay for it all.

 

And now he's getting what he wants. The working and middle class of the county will have to either pay more in taxes down the road or see a proportionate decline in the services provided by the county, so that this arrogant rich f***stick a**hole can charge the taxpayers more money when they go to see the Islanders, and so a little real estate development retail empire designed to separate people from their money (but give them lots of useless non-durable goods in return) can prosper off their backs.

 

 

 

They won't turn around until the owner gets his head out of his ass and stops being a cheap prick. Garth Snow has done a good job at GM with the limited resources he has, but if you look at the bargain basement cast of thousands they employ on defense every year it's a joke.

 

Never mind the owner agreeing to the ridiculousness of a 15 year contract for a goalie that is mediocre when healthy, often injured, and has never proven anything in the game...

 

The team has remained competitive because of Snow's efforts, but not because of anything the owner has done. All the owner has done is lowball Snow and tell him what he can't spend (ie why Ryan Smyth didn't resign with the Islanders after they traded for him)

 

Well if you're telling me that you'd keep taking a loss, then I'd say you're not too much of a businessman. That seems to be what you're saying, albeit indirectly...

 

Anywho, we are in the age of the salary cap in the NHL. Even teams that want to spend have a limit, so a team like the Islanders with no new arena really doesn't have all of the cash to throw around that you think they should. Look at the Blackhawks. They had to walk away from several players and trade guys that they certainly wanted to keep just one year after winning the Stanley Cup. They've got Scottie Bowman, one of the game's masters and a few other talented guys in the front office and they went from winning the Cup to barely making the playoffs this year, so I disagree about Wang being cheap. He can't spend money that he doesn't have when they've got a cap that they have to maintain and plus the few guys that they've drafted they have to have cash to try to maintain a core group of guys similar to what the Avs have done in Colorado. Now, on the other hand, I do agree that that 15 year deal with Di Pietro was ridiculous. The guy has potential, but he hasn't done anything to prove that he is worth a 15 year deal. Perhaps they were trying to follow the Detroits and the Chicagos of the NHL and wrap up "key guys" to long term deals, but I wouldn't consider him the be a marquee player. That other goalie Al Montoya has outplayed Di Pietro by a mile, and he would be far cheaper to keep and perhaps build around than Di Pietro is.

[SubwayGuy]

Well if you're telling me that you'd keep taking a loss, then I'd say you're not too much of a businessman. That seems to be what you're saying, albeit indirectly...

 

No...read what I am writing. What I am saying is that if I'm going to raise prices it's because I have invested in a product and am putting something quality out there. Not because I took a shit in a box, but put it in a new stadium paid for by taxpayers...which is borderline CRIMINAL misuse of public funds to pay for an owner's incompetence...

 

Raising prices because you have a shitty product and no buyers is a sure fire way to go OUT OF business.

 

THAT'S business 101. I'm sick of reading this hack crap that when the business makes no money, rather than looking at its own faulty practices and fixing them, it just raises prices to make the public pay more (then ask for a bailout!). It's wrong, it's bad business, and it's what the hell is wrong with this country these days and why it is becoming increasingly impossible to maintain a decent working life with good pay and time off from work in this country...CORPORATE GREED.

 

Anywho, we are in the age of the salary cap in the NHL. Even teams that want to spend have a limit, so a team like the Islanders with no new arena really doesn't have all of the cash to throw around that you think they should.

 

The owner does. He routinely spends well below the salary cap.

 

Look at the Blackhawks. They had to walk away from several players and trade guys that they certainly wanted to keep just one year after winning the Stanley Cup.

 

Blackhawks are a different team. Their ownership spends money. Their ownership lures top free agents. As a matter of fact, when Bill Wirtz was still the owner of the Blackhawks (before current ownership took over) they did the same cheap second rate two bit MBA school of running a hockey team crap the Islanders are doing. And you know what it got them? A bunch of bad finishes, and a couple of playoff appearances of a period greater than a decade. And it got them low attendance and low profits.

 

Then along came the current ownership which believed in the novel concept of building a quality product first. They drafted well, signed their key players, and won a Stanley Cup, but the fans were coming back in droves BEFORE they won the Cup. All that put them over the cap, so they had to walk away from some of the secondary players last season. No big deal. Their ownership again believed in putting a competitive product on the ice, so they did with players that fit under the cap. But they just about spent right up to the cap and had a damn good season in ticket sales this year to boot, making the playoffs.

 

They've got Scottie Bowman, one of the game's masters and a few other talented guys in the front office and they went from winning the Cup to barely making the playoffs this year, so I disagree about Wang being cheap.

 

Scotty Bowman =/= Stan Bowman, who is the GM of the Hawks. The Hawks' struggles largely related to a change on goaltender this year. They played great down the stretch to make the playoffs and gave the #1 team in the conference a real run for its money. They will be competitive for years to come because their core of Hossa/Kane/Toews is intact.

 

Wang doesn't spend shit on complementary pieces. Wang doesn't allow Snow to spend to the salary cap. He is a cheap prick.

 

He can't spend money that he doesn't have when they've got a cap that they have to maintain and plus the few guys that they've drafted they have to have cash to try to maintain a core group of guys similar to what the Avs have done in Colorado.

 

Why do you keep assuming he "doesn't have" the money? First of all, if he doesn't have the money he shouldn't be owning the team. You don't buy a house and become a landlord if you can't afford to keep it in decent repair. However, if he has the money to orchestrate moves to Kansas City, or money to launch marketing campaigns for the "Lighthouse Project" I'm going to bet damn sure that he has money to spend on the team and won't do it. Sure enough, Forbes has him worth just shy of 1 BILLION DOLLARS so I am betting he can afford it. Because if the Islanders draw well in the Nassau Coliseum, then he will lose the stupid argument he made when he said the team can't compete with that stadium. The stadium is a dilapidated piece of shit, but it is NOT why the Islanders suck year after year.

 

Now, on the other hand, I do agree that that 15 year deal with Di Pietro was ridiculous. The guy has potential, but he hasn't done anything to prove that he is worth a 15 year deal. Perhaps they were trying to follow the Detroits and the Chicagos of the NHL and wrap up "key guys" to long term deals, but I wouldn't consider him the be a marquee player. That other goalie Al Montoya has outplayed Di Pietro by a mile, and he would be far cheaper to keep and perhaps build around than Di Pietro is.

 

Exactly... and only someone who is not at all interested in the hockey side of running a team makes a decision like that. Wang bought the hockey team and told Mike Milbury (the then GM) to "do what he thinks is right". What kind of crap ownership is that? An owner needs to dabble in operations to understand what's going on, not just turn it over to someone else to make the hard decisions while he sits around with one hand on his schwanz trying to figure out at what price point he can most efficiently gouge fans and taxpayers.

 

If he's not going to be involved at all with the HOCKEY side of running a team, then he shouldn't have bought a HOCKEY team.

 

I do not believe in corporate welfare or bailouts and this is a corporate bailout of the highest order disguised as something else. If a new stadium was to be built, he could at least pay for 25% of the cost...and if he can't afford it do like he is going to make the public do...take out financing, run the risk to his credit and that of his business, and do his damdest to pay it back.

[Shortline Bus]

he's not going to be involved at all with the HOCKEY side of running a team, then he shouldn't have bought a HOCKEY team.

 

I do not believe in corporate welfare or bailouts and this is a corporate bailout of the highest order disguised as something else. If a new stadium was to be built, he could at least pay for 25% of the cost...and if he can't afford it do like he is going to make the public do...take out financing, run the risk to his credit and that of his business, and do his damdest to pay it back.

 

FYI. Wirtz's Son is the head guy/CEO of the current ownership group that owes the Blackhawks.

 

Being fair, both the Mets and Yankees at least paid $100-$200 Million apiece for the new Yankee Stadiums and Citifield that opened couple of years back.

 

The cost to bulid Citfield which costed $500 Million is part of the reason the Wilpon family the Mets Majority Owners is having money issues.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

No...read what I am writing. What I am saying is that if I'm going to raise prices it's because I have invested in a product and am putting something quality out there. Not because I took a shit in a box, but put it in a new stadium paid for by taxpayers...which is borderline CRIMINAL misuse of public funds to pay for an owner's incompetence...

 

Raising prices because you have a shitty product and no buyers is a sure fire way to go OUT OF business.

 

THAT'S business 101. I'm sick of reading this hack crap that when the business makes no money, rather than looking at its own faulty practices and fixing them, it just raises prices to make the public pay more (then ask for a bailout!). It's wrong, it's bad business, and it's what the hell is wrong with this country these days and why it is becoming increasingly impossible to maintain a decent working life with good pay and time off from work in this country...CORPORATE GREED.

 

 

 

The owner does. He routinely spends well below the salary cap.

 

 

 

Blackhawks are a different team. Their ownership spends money. Their ownership lures top free agents. As a matter of fact, when Bill Wirtz was still the owner of the Blackhawks (before current ownership took over) they did the same cheap second rate two bit MBA school of running a hockey team crap the Islanders are doing. And you know what it got them? A bunch of bad finishes, and a couple of playoff appearances of a period greater than a decade. And it got them low attendance and low profits.

 

Then along came the current ownership which believed in the novel concept of building a quality product first. They drafted well, signed their key players, and won a Stanley Cup, but the fans were coming back in droves BEFORE they won the Cup. All that put them over the cap, so they had to walk away from some of the secondary players last season. No big deal. Their ownership again believed in putting a competitive product on the ice, so they did with players that fit under the cap. But they just about spent right up to the cap and had a damn good season in ticket sales this year to boot, making the playoffs.

 

 

 

Scotty Bowman =/= Stan Bowman, who is the GM of the Hawks. The Hawks' struggles largely related to a change on goaltender this year. They played great down the stretch to make the playoffs and gave the #1 team in the conference a real run for its money. They will be competitive for years to come because their core of Hossa/Kane/Toews is intact.

 

Wang doesn't spend shit on complementary pieces. Wang doesn't allow Snow to spend to the salary cap. He is a cheap prick.

 

 

 

Why do you keep assuming he "doesn't have" the money? First of all, if he doesn't have the money he shouldn't be owning the team. You don't buy a house and become a landlord if you can't afford to keep it in decent repair. However, if he has the money to orchestrate moves to Kansas City, or money to launch marketing campaigns for the "Lighthouse Project" I'm going to bet damn sure that he has money to spend on the team and won't do it. Sure enough, Forbes has him worth just shy of 1 BILLION DOLLARS so I am betting he can afford it. Because if the Islanders draw well in the Nassau Coliseum, then he will lose the stupid argument he made when he said the team can't compete with that stadium. The stadium is a dilapidated piece of shit, but it is NOT why the Islanders suck year after year.

 

 

 

Exactly... and only someone who is not at all interested in the hockey side of running a team makes a decision like that. Wang bought the hockey team and told Mike Milbury (the then GM) to "do what he thinks is right". What kind of crap ownership is that? An owner needs to dabble in operations to understand what's going on, not just turn it over to someone else to make the hard decisions while he sits around with one hand on his schwanz trying to figure out at what price point he can most efficiently gouge fans and taxpayers.

 

If he's not going to be involved at all with the HOCKEY side of running a team, then he shouldn't have bought a HOCKEY team.

 

I do not believe in corporate welfare or bailouts and this is a corporate bailout of the highest order disguised as something else. If a new stadium was to be built, he could at least pay for 25% of the cost...and if he can't afford it do like he is going to make the public do...take out financing, run the risk to his credit and that of his business, and do his damdest to pay it back.

 

 

I disagree. You and I know that the new stadium will benefit Nassau County the most because the Islanders don't play there all year around, so obviously that means other events will be held there, so why should have to fork over anything when he spent enough buying the team AND most importantly ensuring that the team remained on Long Island with a sh*tty arena. How many years has he been asking for a new arena? Also, your argument that Wang is cheap is total BS, because he came in spending DOUBLE what his previous predecessor did.

[SoSpectacular]

lol corporations

[SubwayGuy]

FYI. Wirtz's Son is the head guy/CEO of the current ownership group that owes the Blackhawks.

 

Being fair, both the Mets and Yankees at least paid $100-$200 Million apiece for the new Yankee Stadiums and Citifield that opened couple of years back.

 

The cost to bulid Citfield which costed $500 Million is part of the reason the Wilpon family the Mets Majority Owners is having money issues.

 

But Wirtz's son =/= Wirtz, which was my point to begin with.

 

The Wilpons' issues have little to do with Citi Field and more to do with their involvement in Madoff and other "misappropriation" of their own funds.

[SubwayGuy]

I disagree. You and I know that the new stadium will benefit Nassau County the most because the Islanders don't play there all year around, so obviously that means other events will be held there, so why should have to fork over anything when he spent enough buying the team AND most importantly ensuring that the team remained on Long Island with a sh*tty arena. How many years has he been asking for a new arena? Also, your argument that Wang is cheap is total BS, because he came in spending DOUBLE what his previous predecessor did.

 

The stadium primarily benefits the Islanders, so the owner should pay a healthy chunk for it.

 

He spent double what his predecessor did...well whoop de doo. Considering the last THREE owners of the Islanders before him have been about as corrupt as anyone not in the US Congress that doesn't have the last name Gotti...that's not saying anything.

 

He is worth ONE BILLION DOLLARS. And he can't contribute some of the cost of this stadium? And he can't contribute a decent amount of his own investment to ensure the Islanders are competitive? That's the definition of cheap. This is the same a**hole that has been quoted as saying he "regrets" buying the Islanders and wouldn't do it again if given the choice.

 

All I can say is I am damn glad sure I don't pay Nassau County taxes. This is a fleecing of public funds to benefit corporate cronies and it seems when you throw a sports team in the mix all logic by otherwise reasonable posters here goes out the window.

 

I like the Rangers, but an Islanders rivalry is good so I don't want the Islanders to leave. I actually wish they would be competitive because it would be good for hockey in the NY metro area. But I DON'T support an owner getting exactly what he wants off the public back while putting very little down of his OWN MONEY when he's been skimping on putting a quality team out there for the last 7 years as it is, with no signs of letting up. If he wants this stadium, he ought to have to put some money up towards it. If he can't, then he is UNFIT TO BE RUNNING A HOCKEY TEAM.

 

If Microsoft wants a new corporate headquarters, Microsoft pays for it...why the f*** is this any different?

[Shortline Bus]

Sorry to 'bump' an old thread. but an update. Tonight 8/1/11 was the counting of votes in a special election in which taxpayers would pay for most of costs of a new arena for the NY Islanders.

 

 

In a surprise the "NO" side has a very slim lead over the "yes' supporters according to Newsday's website and also the NYC local news outlets. If this holds this is a huge defeat for Charles Wang and Ed Mangano. reactions?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Sorry to 'bump' an old thread. but an update. Tonight 8/1/11 was the counting of votes in a special election in which taxpayers would pay for most of costs of a new arena for the NY Islanders.

 

 

In a surprise the "NO" side has a very slim lead over the "yes' supporters according to Newsday's website and also the NYC local news outlets. If this holds this is a huge defeat for Charles Wang and Ed Mangano. reactions?

 

 

Oh what BS. If they vote no to replace that dump known as Nassau Coliseum then they should let the team move. The Islanders will never be a contender so long as they play in that sh*thole which gives them no chance to draw big names or compete with the teams that have new hockey rinks.

[Grand Concourse]

This is the same Nassau that said drop dead to the MTA over funding they refused to cover for LIB and yet they are going to vote to fork over $400 mil for a new arena/complex? It makes no sense.

Plus how many 'fans' are there? Let the team move to barclays where they can join the Nets there. Even at about 14,000 seating capacity, it should be enough.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

This is the same Nassau that said drop dead to the MTA over funding they refused to cover for LIB and yet they are going to vote to fork over $400 mil for a new arena/complex? It makes no sense.

Plus how many 'fans' are there? Let the team move to barclays where they can join the Nets there. Even at about 14,000 seating capacity, it should be enough.

 

That arena is already booked for other events #1 and #2 the Islanders want to be the main show at whatever arena they play at, therefore Barclays arena is not at all an option for them.

[lilbluefoxie]

im glad that thing got shot down, if Charles Wang wants a new stadium he can build it with his own money. If Nassau wants to do something about infrastructure, they can get all the potholes fixed on all their county roads, and stop booby trapping all the streets with red light cameras, and finally tell teh school districts to go to hell and cap property tax increases like they do in other states.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Nassau wants to do something about infrastructure, they can get all the potholes fixed on all their county roads, and stop booby trapping all the streets with red light cameras, and finally tell teh school districts to go to hell and cap property tax increases like they do in other states.

 

Can't disagree with you there. While the Islanders do NEED a new rink but the potholes in NY in general are the pits.

[Grand Concourse]

That arena is already booked for other events #1 and #2 the Islanders want to be the main show at whatever arena they play at, therefore Barclays arena is not at all an option for them.

 

Well if that's the case, they can go elsewhere. Brooklyn would've been a decent option if the owner was actually committed to stay on the Island. As I said, if the county didn't want to pay their share of LIB's cost, then why would they approve of a $400 mil arena? That just doesn't make any sense.

[67thAve]

I heard rumors that they are going to move to Hamilton, Ontario.

[Shortline Bus]

I heard rumors that they are going to move to Hamilton, Ontario.

 

I am sure there, Kansas City, Portland, Org., even Seattle will now be intrestred since the Isles are basically free agents in 2015 or sooner if that city buys out the lease.

 

And here update in this morning (8/2/11)Daily News.

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/08/01/2011-08-01_nassau_county_voters_say_no_to_proposal_to_build_new_arena_for_new_york_islander.html

[Tokkemon]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/2010/12/11/2010-12-11_quebec_nordiques_fans_descend_on_nassau_veterans_memorial_coliseum_for_islanders.html

 

If they move to Quebec, which I believe they should, it would be the definition of awesomeness. Bring back the French Hockey Rivalries!!!

[Shortline Bus]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/2010/12/11/2010-12-11_quebec_nordiques_fans_descend_on_nassau_veterans_memorial_coliseum_for_islanders.html

 

If they move to Quebec, which I believe they should, it would be the definition of awesomeness. Bring back the French Hockey Rivalries!!!

 

Question is, Quebec City big enough to handle a NHL club again? Not to mention I am sure Montreal will fight tooth and nail to block a new team in Quebec City.

 

If anything since the Toronto area is the 3rd-4th largest metro area in North America (after only NYC, LA and Chicago)is huge why not a team in Hamilton?

I know the Buffalo Sabres may not like it though since i read i think somewhere that at least 10-15% of their ticket buyers are from Southern Ontario including the Nigara Falls area.

 

 

As Grand Concourse said which I agree, all '4' major leagues (NHL, MLB, NFL and NBA) in the '90's/early 2000's put way too many 'expansion' teams especially in the US South and "Sun Belt.'

 

I know they have fairly new arenas bulit in last 10 years or so, but unless the teams mentioned are doing well, it will be hard for teams like in Nashville, Carolina, South Fla.(Panthers)and Phoenix to permenately stay in those cities/regions as all '4' of those cities mentioned are in College Football/NASCAR country.

 

Of the all of the 'sun belt' NHL expansion teams in last 20 years, (not counting the LA Kings)IMO only San Jose, Dallas(they won the 1999 Stanley Cup)Anaheim and Tampa(they had ownership problems recently but it seem settled now)have good fan bases and should for good

keep their NHL teams IMO.

Also IMO the only location that the Islanders will stay in Metro NYC(I think they are 'gone' from LI by 2015 or maybe sooner)is the new Brooklyn arena with the Nets.

 

 

And back to the special election. I do feel if Wang had been willing to pay at least 50-60% of the costs (about $200 Million)of the new arena it might have passed. To me that why Nassau voters more than anything (along with anger on their high taxes)is what doomed this.

[Tokkemon]

Question is, Quebec City big enough to handle a NHL club again? Not to mention I am sure Montreal will fight tooth and nail to block a new team in Quebec City.

 

Sure it is. The thing about Hockey in Canada is that when there's a game on, especially against a rival team, literally the entire city participates in the game in some way or another. This phenomenon doesn't really exist in the US except during playoff times for any sport. I also think Montreal would welcome a their old rivals back. The Battle of Quebec was a huge deal in the 70s and 80s.

 

If anything since the Toronto area is the 3rd-4th largest metro area in North America (after only NYC, LA and Chicago)is huge why not a team in Hamilton?

I know Buffalo Sabres may not like it though since i read i think somewhere that at least 10-15% of their ticket buyers are from Southern Ontario including the Nigara Falls area.

 

Yeah the Horseshoe may be a bit saturated with Hockey with a team in Hamilton, but the Toronto Metro area can certainly support another team. I'd say it would be to Toronto's benefit to encourage competition with the Maple Laffs. But then, where does Ottawa sit?