NEW YORK _ NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said his "gut reaction" is that the renovated Nassau Coliseum is not a realistic option for the New York Islanders, even temporarily.
"I don't view the Nassau Coliseum as a viable option," Bettman said Friday at a news conference to announce the Winter Classic outdoor game between the Rangers and Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 1.
Nassau and Suffolk legislators held a news conference at the renovated arena in July to drum up support for the Islanders to return to the Coliseum, even as a temporary home while a new arena for the team is built.
If either the Islanders or Barclay's Center, want to opt out of their 25-year license agreement, they are contractually obligated to do so by Jan. 30. Neither seems eager to continue the lease.
"Ultimately, whether or not the Islanders want to consider that and bring it to the league or something, you've had to ask them about it," he said. "But my gut reaction is it's not a viable option."
The Islanders, Nassau Events Center and Nassau County declined to comment.
In June, Bettman explained why the Islanders might want to leave Brooklyn's Barclay's Center, saying it was a "little bit harder to get to if you live on Long Island in Nassau and Suffolk County. And the building wasn't built for hockey. It was built for basketball. And that means there are obstructed seats and things weren't centered under the roof and the scoreboard and it raised some issues."
Barclay's could book more lucrative events, such as concerts, if the Islanders left.
The Islanders are preparing to submit a proposal to build an arena at Belmont Racetrack in conjunction with Oak View Group, a sports arena development company backed by Madison Square Garden, and Sterling Project Development, a group run by the owners of the Mets.
When Bettman was asked if the metropolitan area could support an additional arena, the commissioner said, "My own belief is, yes."
����
(Paul LaRocco contributed to this report.)
