Bettman Speaks on Islanders Situation

((HT: NY Newsday via Howard Bloom))

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman Friday said that Long Island politicians can't afford to ignore the pleas of Islanders owner Charles Wang for approval of the Lighthouse Project to renovate Nassau Coliseum and develop the surrounding area in the hope that the problem will go away. Describing the Coliseum, Bettman said, "It's antiquated; it's outdated, and it's unrealistic to expect the Islanders to play there a second longer than they have to."
Bettman made his remarks during the course of an interview lasting nearly two hours with representatives of the Associated Press Sports Editors organization. He covered a wide variety of economic issues but none more important to Islanders fans than the fate of the Lighthouse Project and its impact on whether Wang eventually might be forced to consider moving the team.

The commissioner praised Wang's commitment to Long Island and the investment he's made to keep the team in place. But Town of Hempstead supervisor Kate Murray recently has expressed her opposition to the size of the project, which includes a luxury hotel, convention center, sports training facility, retail outlets, restaurants, sprawling housing development and minor-league baseball park. Peter Schmitt, minority leader in the Nassau County legislature, also has expressed reservations about the project and an air of indifference toward keeping the Islanders.

Bettman seemed to aim his comments at that target when considering Wang's timetable and his alternatives if it is not met. "If the people running Nassau County or the Town of Hempstead think this is a problem that's going to go away and therefore, they don't have to deal with it, I think that's a misguided notion," Bettman said. "This problem will get worse and worse.

"I think Charles, if this timetable is not satisfied, will be looking at his options. That doesn't preclude other options on Long Island . Nobody in their right mind is going to stay in that building a moment longer than they have to. To me, what's crazy is what a great project this is for Nassau County . Here you have an opportunity in an economic downturn to create a hub with jobs and everything else that a hub for Long Island would have. As part of that, you get a newly renovated building, which can serve as a home for Long Island 's only [major] professional team. Why has it taken this long? I don't know the answer to that.

"So, at some point, he's going to look at his options because he has no choice."
At the moment, Bettman said the league has no plans to relocate a franchise or expand. "I like all my 30 clubs where they are," he said. "I know there's interest in other places, but I like where we are. It doesn't mean, at some point in the future, in a vastly different economic climate we might not be looking at other opportunities."
Bettman also was asked about the possibility of the NBA's New Jersey Nets moving from the Izod Center at the Meadowlands to join the Devils at the Prudential Center in downtown Newark . NBA commissioner David Stern told APSE the nets are fine where they are, but Bettman had a different view.

"I don't understand why the Nets aren't playing at Prudential Center now," the NHL commissioner said. "The Devils are drawing, and the atmosphere is great. It has to be costing the State of new Jersey a boatload of money to keep [ Izod Center ] open. I hope, at some point, the Nets decide to go there."