Northwell Health, New York’s largest health care provider and private employer, announced Tuesday that it would enter into a 10-year founding sponsorship deal with the New York Islanders hockey team and its home under construction in Belmont Park, UBS Arena.
The deal with the arena is the latest extension of a decadeslong relationship between the Islanders and Northwell, which has served as the official health care sponsor for the team and title sponsor for the team’s East Meadow practice facility.
As part of the agreement, Northwell Health, UBS Arena and the New York Islanders will develop community-based wellness programming, with the efforts projected to span key pillars of health, nutrition and physical activity, according to Michael Dowling, Northwell’s president and CEO.
“We are proud to align ourselves with New York’s newest premier sports and entertainment venue,” Dowling said in a statement. “New York, and especially Long Island, is home to thousands of our patients as well as our employees. With 25,000 employees living near UBS Arena alone, this partnership allows us to reinforce our commitment to serving the community and we look forward to developing future health and wellness programming with UBS Arena and the New York Islanders.”
“Northwell has been an invaluable supporter of the New York Islanders for nearly 20 years and we couldn’t be more excited for them to strengthen their partnership with the team through the new UBS Arena project,” said Jon Ledecky, co-owner of the New York Islanders.
The arena, whose naming rights were bought for 20 years by the United Bank of Switzerland in July, is scheduled to open in time for the 2021-22 NHL season, according to Tim Leiweke, CEO of the entertainment company Oak View Group and leader of the arena project. He said the arena would take precautions to keep fans safe.
“UBS Arena will be ready to welcome fans back to arenas, ensuring an unrivaled, distinctive live entertainment experience that is reflective of our commitment to unmatched service, safety and sanitization,” Leiweke said in a statement. “Planned top-of-the-line sanitization efforts from medical grade HEPA filtration, to UV light systems, and disinfecting solutions that have proven safe and effective in large-scale public spaces will ensure future guests peace of mind.”
Construction on the 19,000-seat arena to house the New York Islanders, 350,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, a hotel containing 250 rooms and parking on 43 acres of vacant state-owned property broke ground last September. Also being built with the project is the first new full-time LIRR station in 50 years.
Amenities also included in the soon-to-be constructed facility include a 23,000-square-foot locker room and training area and a sports bar decked out with memorabilia and a standing-room section with views of the ice.
The coronavirus pandemic caused construction on the arena to halt on March 27 before continuing two months later.
Officials and residents of the Village of Floral Park, which neighbors the area, have expressed various grievances throughout the process.
In May, a state Supreme Court justice denied an application submitted by the Village and local civic groups in an attempt to overturn state approvals granted for the development of the arena.
Robert Pelaez contributed reporting.
