Islanders may leave Long Island and move to Queens
Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon has talked to New York Islanders owner Charles Wang about building an arena for the NHL team near Citi Field.
Wilpon told Newsday for its Wednesday editions that he spoke to Wang about trying to develop something “synergistic with Citi Field and a hockey arena.”
The Islanders have been trying to get local government to approve a development plan that would give the team a new arena to replace Nassau Coliseum. Wang has become frustrated by lack of action on his proposal and said last fall that he would explore all options — including relocation.
Wilpon says he also talked to Wang about the possibility of buying the team.
The team has played at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, since its inception in 1972 and won four consecutive Stanley Cups there, from 1980-83. However, the post-Cup years have been lean, for the most part, and Wang has said he has lost $23 million a year on the team since he bought it in 2000.
Wilpon told Newsday that he has had many discussions with Wang, but no agreement has been reached.
http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2010/05/islanders_may_leave_long_islan.html