Town Board OKs Coliseum development

Approval clears the way to begin construction

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The Town of Hempstead approved the redevelopment plan for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday, clearing the way for a complete renovation of the 43-year-old arena.

The renovation will be spearheaded by Brooklyn real estate developer Bruce Ratner, after his company, Nassau Events Center, LLC, was chosen by County Executive Ed Mangano in August 2013 following a months-long Request for Proposals process last year.

Ratner submitted his blueprint for the redevelopment of the Coliseum, and the surrounding area, to town officials on April 14. It was heard by the Town Board on May 19. The plan calls for 3.4 million square feet of development on the 91-acre Uniondale site.

NEC will not be required to appear before the board again, before it moves forward with its planned interior and exterior renovations on the Coliseum, town officials said, noting that the applicant will be required to secure any necessary building permits from the town's buildings department.

A renovated coliseum will seat 13,000, reduced from its current capacity of 16,000. Ratner has not yet named any specific tenants that would be brought to the site, but said last month that the first phase of construction would include eight new retail facilities, including a movie theater and four restaurants, covering 188,000 square feet.

The construction is expected to begin in August, four months after the New York Islanders wrapped their final home game at the Coliseum, a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 6 of the Eastern conference quarterfinals. The Islanders, who lost the series two days later in Washington D.C., will open next season at its new home arena -- the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which was also developed by Ratner.

Town officials said the approval process was an expeditious one because the Town Board created a "unique building construction zone" for the area surrounding the Coliseum, allowing for a redeveloped Coliseum, hotels, a convention center, health and technology facilities, business offices and educational institutions in June 2011, after a previous development proposal stalled.

“I am pleased that the Hempstead Town Board has ‘set the stage’ for a thoroughly renovated Nassau Veterans Coliseum and additional new construction at Nassau’s HUB by approving Nassau Events Center’s plan,” said Town Supervisor Kate Murray. “The Coliseum renovation will take place without any taxpayer financing, and the approved plan provides for balanced and sustainable development.”

“Today’s approval by the Hempstead Town Board brings us one step closer to beginning work on the redevelopment of the Coliseum site," said Ratner. “We look forward to beginning construction in the near future so that we can bring all Long Island residents the reimagined venue they truly deserve.”