Islanders arena developers urged to hire local

Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen, along with Long Island Federation of Labor President John Durso and Nassau Suffolk Building Trades Council President Matthew Aracich in Hempstead Monday. Photo Credit: Howard SchnappHempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen and local labor leaders on Monday appealed to the developers behind the proposed Islanders arena at Belmont Park to employ local residents in the thousands of temporary and permanent jobs that the $1.2 billion project is expected to generate.

Some 12,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent jobs could be needed to build and run the 19,000-seat arena and surrounding retail development — jobs that could be a boon to local trade…