MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) — New York officials have chosen an affiliate of Forest City Enterprises to oversee a $229 million renovation of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano made the announcement Thursday.
Nassau Events Center, LLC was picked over the Madison Square Garden Co.
The selection of developer Bruce Ratner’s group is expected to accelerate the long-stalled process to renovate the aging arena. Ratner recently opened Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
It’s still not clear who the primary tenant of the refurbished arena would be.
The New York Islanders have played hockey in the coliseum since it opened in 1972. They’ve announced plans to move to the Brooklyn Barclays arena in 2015.
The Nassau County Legislature is the next step in the approval process.
