MSG, LN Vie For Nassau

Nassau County officials have narrowed the field down to two finalists for a multimillion-dollar renovation of the 17,000-capacity Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y.

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum – The Long Island, N.Y., venue could be in for a renovation.

The partnership of Madison Square Garden and Cordish Cos. vies with Live Nation and Forest City Ratner, developer of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center to upgrade the aging venue and develop the surrounding property, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.

Photo: SHoP Architects
The Long Island, N.Y., venue could be in for a renovation.

The coliseum is a major concert venue for the area and is home to the New York Islanders hockey team until it moves to Barclays Center in 2015.

The MSG/Cordish plan would renovate the venue and reduce concert capacity to 14,500.

The plan includes building an entertainment complex named Long Island Live with restaurants, sports bars and nightclubs and converting an existing exhibit hall into an entertainment venue featuring bowling and billiards.

Live Nation/Forest City’s plan includes renovating the 41-year-old facility and reducing capacity along with adding a 2,500-capacity amphitheater and a 2,000-capacity indoor concert venue, the Journal said.

Also bidding on the project were Global Spectrum and current venue manager SMG. Nassau County officials are expected to make a decision in August.