Dive Brief:

• Jon Ledecky, co-owner of the NHL's New York Islanders, told reporters gathered for an unrelated event that construction on the team's new $1 billion arena project on surplus land at Belmont Park racetrack property in Elmont, New York, should begin in May 2019, with completion scheduled for October 2021, Newsday reported.
• Empire State Development, New York state's economic development arm, selected New York Arena Partners — a joint venture between Sterling Equities, the Scott Malkin Group, Madison Square Garden and the Oak View Group — to lead the privately funded project. The proposed development includes an 18,000-seat hockey arena with a total capacity of 19,000 for other events; a full-service hotel with up to 250 rooms; 435,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment space; 30,000 square feet of offices; 10,000 square feet of community space; other onsite and offsite public space and parking for about 7,000 vehicles. The current design team comprises JRDV Architects, Populous and Stantec.
• Empire State must still complete the environmental review process and expects to release a draft environmental impact statement, which will be subject to a public comment period, before the end of the year, followed by a final statement in the second quarter of next year. The project, which is projected to generate 12,300 construction jobs, has come under fire from local residents who maintain that the development will increase traffic congestion, noise and pollution and create dangerous conditions in their neighborhoods and near schools.   

Dive Insight:

Oak View Group is also leading the $700 million KeyArena redevelopment project in Seattle. Oak View will be responsible for the cost of design, permitting and construction and must absorb cost overruns and liability for defects that might arise on the project, which includes retention of the historic roofline; façade work; a new atrium lobby entrance; demolition of five buildings, a skate park, two plazas, a surface parking lot and a loading area; the addition of below-grade parking and a new arena that will be able to accommodate up to 19,000 people. Skanska USA and AECOM Hunt have been enlisted as the construction joint venture.

Like the Islanders project, there has been concern about an increase in traffic congestion during and after construction, but there are plans for light-rail systems and other new transportation alternatives for the area.

Populous, expert in the field of sports venue design, is also a member of the KeyArena team.