Safety concerns and questions about emergency response time came to the fore Wednesday as residents spoke out about the state’s plan to build an Islanders arena and adjacent retail space at Belmont Park.
About 200 people attended two hearings at the Elmont Memorial Library Wednesday to discuss the over $1 billion project, which would include a 19,000-seat arena for NHL games and concerts, along with a hotel and 450,000 square feet of retail space. If approved, the complex is set to be completed by 2021.
The forums — held on day two of three of public hearings on the project — brought out detractors as well as those who agreed with the project, while offering modifications to make it more palatable to the Floral Park, Bellerose and Elmont communities.