The ribbon was cut. Now, there only remains to play a hockey game at UBS Arena.
That will happen Saturday night as the Islanders host the Calgary Flames at their state-of-the-art, $1.1 billion new home. On Friday, UBS Arena got a star-studded christening ceremony in the main lobby and concourses as the new facility was shown off before a private charity event.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky, Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke, Islanders Stanley Cup alumni Denis Potvin, Clark Gillies, Butch Goring, John Tonelli and Bobby Nystrom, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran as well as several other local politicians and officials were on hand for the culmination of a decades-long effort to find a new home for the franchise.