Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Breaks Ground on New Belmont Park Arena

Statement

Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo joined the New York Islanders, National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman, local leaders and hockey fans to break ground on the New York Islanders' new arena at Belmont Park, the centerpiece of the $1.3 billion Belmont Park Redevelopment. In addition, Governor Cuomo announced the team has agreed to play 28 regular season games at the Nassau Veteran's Memorial Coliseum during the 2019-2020 season, seven more than previously planned. These announcements further the Governor's efforts to turn Belmont Park into a premier sports and hospitality destination that bolsters Long Island's economy.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Good afternoon. How great a day is this? First, Eric Gertler and the whole team at Empire State Development. We wouldn't be here today without them. Let's give them a big round of applause. Jon Ledecky, the owner of the Islanders, thank you very much Jon for everything you have done. To Fred Wilpon who is a New York legend, and Jeff Wilpon than you very much for staying with this project.

Commissioner Gary Bettman who has been great for the entire league but he has also been great for New York. Let's give the commissioner a big round of applause. Islanders Captain Anders Lee thank you for being here. A lot of people had to work together to make today a reality. Let's give them a round of applause. The County Executive Laura Curran. To my colleagues in the legislature, a special thank you to Anna Kaplan. Let's give her a round of applause. And the star of the Senate team Senator Leroy Comrie who showed the professionalism, the responsibility, and the political courage to do the right thing. Thank you Senator Leroy Conroy.

Today is great. I am an old Queens boy and for many years I would go up and down the Cross Island Parkway. You look at this site and you would say why doesn't someone do something with that site? Four hundred and forty acres, all sorts of potential just sitting there and it sat widely unused for a long, long time.

Well, today is a different day my friends. This is going to be a transformative project that I think is going to energize all of Long Island. It does several things all at once. First, bringing the Long Island Rail Road here to Elmont, a Long Island Rail Road that goes both ways. You can commute into the city, people can take the Long Island Rail Road to the game. That is a game changer. It's long overdue. You put it together with the other Long Island Rail Road improvements: the second track, the third track, 59 renovated stations - it is going to be a different day. And finally, finally, the Long Island Rail Road is going to be here.

Second, it will revitalize the entire economy, I think of the region, certainly of the locality. Three hundred and fifty thousand square feet of development, a hotel, retail. Ten thousand construction jobs. It's going to maximize the potential of this site and that's long overdue.

And third, it is going to bring the Islanders back home where they belong. A 19,000 seat auditorium stadium in the middle of that development with restaurants and retail. It's going to be state of the art and it is exactly what Long Island deserves. The Islanders were just more than a hockey team. They were a Long Island identity. They said to Long Island, you are special and you have your own team. And that's the name of the Islanders and God bless other parts where they play, but there is no place like the Islanders playing on Long Island - period. They've already started to make the transition back home as I call it. Commissioner Bettman and I had an agreement where 21 games would be played at the Nassau Coliseum as they're making the transition back home. I spoke to the Commissioner as part of this transaction and the Commissioner promised me that they would play even more games at the Nassau Coliseum. I know the Commissioner is a man of his word and I know that there are many State Police on site today just in case the Commissioner is not a man of his word but I know he is.

I want to thank everyone and congratulate everyone on what is really a fantastic development. This is one of the largest and most impactful developments that have been done in the entire downstate region in a long, long time. And you know what we call a project that brings three great things together - a new transportation terminal, a great economic development vehicle, and a great new sports stadium, three things all together in one project - the technical economic development term is that is a hat-trick my friends.

Congratulations. Let's give the Commissioner a big round of applause.