Gary Bettman Gives Seal of Approval to UBS Arena

Breathtaking.
That's how NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman described the exterior of UBS Arena while he was driving on the Cross Island Parkway on Wednesday morning.
It is impossible to miss UBS Arena when driving by Belmont Park, with the brick façade and timeless architecture edging up against the historic racetrack. As impressive as is the arena's exterior, the inside is what counts for hockey - and Bettman was very pleased with what he saw during a first-hand look at the arena's interior on Wednesday.

"Each building seems to get more and more spectacular," Bettman said. "There will be no better example than UBS Arena. There has not been a detail that has been overlooked. The building is incredibly well designed and fan friendly. It is going to be great not just for the Islanders, but for concerts and family shows."
A lot has changed since Bettman was on last on site for the topping out ceremony in October. The roof has been completed, concrete has been poured and the arena bowl and suites have taken shape. Seat installation is underway and the anticipation for opening night is growing, as 49 of the 56 suites have been sold and season tickets are over 95% sold out.

Bettman toured the entire arena, taking in the sightlines from the top of the upper bowl, the club level and down on ice level. Guided by Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke and Islanders Co-Owner Jon Ledecky, Bettman got a sneak peek of the Islanders' 23,000 sq. ft. team campus, featuring a two-floor gym, training rooms, offices and more.
"The attention to detail has been nothing short of incredible," Bettman said. "The facilities that the Islanders' players have are simply incredible. The fact that this building in two years is roughly going to be carbon neutral and is league certified is incredible. Everything they are doing. The sightlines are good. I've actually been at what will be the furthest seat from the ice, and it is a good seat. If you are coming here, and people are going to want to come here, it is going to be a great experience."
Ledecky said the league shared best practices and learnings during the construction of UBS Arena to help the Islanders create a world-class venue for players and fans.
"You are building a building once a generation, do not cut corners," Ledecky said. "Make sure everything is incredibly great because it is going to stand the test of time. This is a building that is going to age very well."
As the tour wrapped up, Ledecky thanked Bettman for all of the support, advocacy and guidance in getting the arena to this point, both in securing the project and for the league lending its expertise.

"It doesn't happen without Gary and the NHL," Ledecky said. "On the inside of the building, the league has experts up and down the organization and when we wanted to talk to them about a visiting locker room, the weight room, all the different facilities, we consulted with them because that is what you are part of the NHL for, to get the benefit of this incredible league office."

Bettman, giving final remarks from where the VIP parking lot will eventually be located, gave the arena his seal of approval.
"This is really going to be a gathering point not just for Long Island, but for the New York and New Jersey Metropolitan area," Bettman said. "People are going want to come be a part of what is obviously an iconic building that is being built and everything built around it - whether it is the shopping, whether it is the train station. Everything that is being done here, including what they are going to be doing with the racetrack, tells you the future for Long Island, for this arena, for this site, and for the Islanders. It is incredible."
Bettman continued, "I think there's a saying that lots of people can take credit for, 'Vision without execution is nothing more than a hallucination.' They're not hallucinating here, they're executing and it is great."