Fri 18 Apr 2008
Unfortunately, I arrived at this presentation late, but I still got a nice glimpse of the future of the franchise’s new home.
The Lighthouse! When can I start the fan club!
Seeing the brochures (will be coming out very soon), it brings the whole package into a little better focus. However, at the Reckson Building, myself, and some other Booster Club Board members, got to see the 3-D version of the package. This makes the whole picture of the project just spring into life.
How the arena will look, all the amenities, shops, restauraunts, all the things that fans have seen from other arenas around the NHL. Now, hopefully, in a few years time, those can come to us!
We were even quoted on the www.lighthouseli.com web site (well, at least my WIFE was!)
“After seeing the presentation and the site from the Lighthouse office we were able to get a better perspective on the project,” said Claire Harding, President of the New York Islanders Booster Club. “The Booster Club does a lot of charity work that is valuable to the community and a place like the Lighthouse would help us increase our membership and host very exciting fundraising events. We support the Lighthouse, the benefits of the project to Long Island are too significant to let slip away and a project like this is long overdue to the area. We came out of the meeting anxious for the project to begin.”
My wife - the media darling!
Now the Hempstead town has put this on the fast track, this project now seems much more than just a dream in the heads of Islanders/Reckson management. It now has a piece of reality on it, and the vision of better things to come.
Nice - now - let’s move forward… Garth - your turn to shine, and improve the team.
April 20th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
It might be a bit early, G, but any talk about a time frame for this to start/be completed? In the modern world of professional sports, it’s unfortunate that a new arena is the way to bring credibility to a franchise, but let us also keep in mind that the product on the ice has to be something worth seeing. I think that this off season HAS to be one in which serious steps need to be taken to improve the team. I have not been all that comfortable with the rather vague direction management seems to be going in terms of putting their money on our youth. This is not at all to take a thing away from the kids who really stepped up with all the injuries. The problem is we need a mix of veteran players who show up every night to play and who the kids can compliment and develop around. I’m afraid that we had a few guys this season who did not seem to bring their A-game when it was needed.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:11 am
From what I have heard…. The start date for the work on the Coliseum would be the off season 2009. The job on the arena would only be done during off seasons (2 to be exact). The first one for the lower concourse (lowering the ice level, creating the 2nd concourse, new seats, etc.) The next year the extension of the upper concourse, the upper area seats, etc..
April 21st, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Gotcha. If they can accomplish this in the two off seasons and really revitalize the “old barn”, that will do much to enhance the franchise. Still, not to be a broken record, when the day is done, it’s the product on the ice that determines the standing of the organization. You can build a brand new, 20000 seat arena and make it state of the art, but if there is nothing to see for the fans, the excitement and interest in the new building will only last for so long.