The man who wooed the New York Islanders into his new Brooklyn arena is reportedly set to advise Nassau County officials on what to do with the Isles’ soon-to-be former rink.
Which is a bit ironic, no?
That man, of course, would be Bruce Ratner, the developer and majority owner of the Barclays Center.
According to Newday, Ratner “will play a strategic role in developing an entertainment facility” on the site of the obsolete Nassau Coliseum and “will come up with a plan in 2013 to increase the arena’s viability and allow it to compete for shows, concerts and other events.”
The Isles signed an “ironclad” 25-year lease at the Barclays Center starting in 2015-16, so unless the iron can be melted down on that agreement, they won’t be moving back once they leave Nassau, even if there’s a new arena there.