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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday, July 8, that the Belmont Park Redevelopment Project is calling for the first full-time LIRR station in nearly 50 years, "helping mitigate traffic concerns and providing a new amenity to the Elmont community."
Cuomo also released an analysis of the project's potential economic impact, which determined the new arena, hotel, and retail village will generate nearly $50 million in new public revenue per year and produce $725 million in annual economic output.
"The Belmont project will help drive the region's economy forward while building the Islanders a state-of-the-art facility at home on Long Island, creating thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic output along the way,” the governor added.
New York Arena Partners, the development group looking to build the project on state property, has agreed to pay $97 million of the $105 million to build the station, officials said, with the state covering the difference. The arena developers are a partnership of the owners of the Islanders, Mets and the development company, Oak View Group.
The new station will be located between the Queens Village and Bellerose stations on the LIRR’s Main Line, providing direct service to Belmont from Long Island and New York City. A third track is also being considered to increase flexibility for riders.
Electric shuttle buses - which are already planned to run from parking lots within Belmont Park to the arena site - will also serve LIRR riders traveling to the grandstand and planned arena, hotel, and retail village.
LIRR President Phillip Eng said, “we are delighted by this plan, which allows us to provide full-time year-round service to the Elmont community and a second station at the redeveloped Belmont Park, all at no construction cost to the LIRR.”
The station is expected to receive service approximately every half hour during peak times and hourly during off-peak periods. The parking lot north of the Belmont race track, which has 2,860 spaces, will be shared by commuters and arena patrons.
“This brand-new train station is an indispensable part of the proposed complex at Belmont because it provides a green alternative to overcrowding area roads and offers Elmont residents access to their own, long-sought-after station,” Sen. Todd Kaminsky said. “This investment in key infrastructure is commensurate in scale with the tremendous economic potential that this project can unlock for Long Island.”
Developers have proposed the construction of a 19,000-seat arena, 350,000-square-feet of retail space, restaurants and a 250-room hotel. The plan originally called for 435,000-square-feet of retail space.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran added, "along with the rest of Islanders nation, I want our Islanders to have a permanent, state-of-the-art home on Long Island. And as Nassau County Executive, I have made it a priority to stop us from becoming the 'Land of No'. I am confident that this project will deliver real, long-term benefits for Long Islanders. Let's say 'yes' to jobs, 'yes' to economic opportunity, and 'yes' to creating a Long Island that will thrive in the future."
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