UBS Arena & Belmont Park Redevelopment

UBS Arena opened at Belmont Park in November 2021, a major milestone for the $1.3 billion redevelopment of Belmont Park on Long Island to transform surplus land at the horse racing facility into a new professional hockey arena for the New York Islanders and other cultural, community and recreational events, and hotel, retail, dining and entertainment uses. AKRF led preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to New York State Environmental Quality Review Act requirements.

Working closely with Empire Statement Development, AKRF steered the project through public review and responded to an unprecedented number of public comments. We also worked with Empire State Development and multiple local and state reviewing agencies to incorporate additional analyses of alternatives and mitigation measures, including a new Long Island Rail Road commuter rail station to serve the project and surrounding community. Additionally, the AKRF consultant team coordinated with project designers in reviewing and commenting on an extensive transportation management plan to mitigate the project’s effects on traffic.

The environmental review process was completed within an extremely tight timeframe, and the project was approved by Empire State Development in August 2019. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in September 2019, and AKRF is currently performing environmental compliance monitoring for the project.

(Renderings courtesy of UBS Arena)