Intriguing soccer news - NY Cosmos minor league team could build a stadium near the Nassau/Queens border

Image source: Five Furlongs on Flickr – Belmont Park in its bucolic goodness

Professional soccer news keeps us interested – now we’ve heard via the NY Times that the NY Cosmos – a minor league soccer team, part of the North American Soccer League as of last July – wants to build a stadium near Belmont Park Race Track (where the Belmont Stakes are held – GMAP). The track is on the border between Queens and Nassau, with Queens Village on the NYC side (the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center is not far – GMAP). This stadium would be part of a bigger development project that includes shopping and entertainment.

The project would be privately financed at the tune of $400 million, and is expected to create jobs and eventually tax revenue. The stadium (designed by Populous, who also designed Yankee Stadium and Citi Field) would have 25,000 seats (just like the MLS stadium coming to Queens), and along with it would be nine restaurants, a 175-room hotel, shops, and a 4.3 acre park.

The Cosmos submitted their proposal to the Empire State Development Corporation last week; they will then take several months to pick a winning bid. But if they are chosen, this could mean some competition with Major League Soccer, who as we know is looking to build a new stadium in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, 10 miles away. There would not be direct competition – at least beyond exhibition games – between the two teams, as MLS is division 1 and NASL is division 2, but splitting attention among the soccer fan base could be a result. Would dilution of fan attention (and their revenue) happen? We’ll just have to see.

The MLS stadium has a leg up on the Belmont stadium when it comes to public transportation – there’s an express 7 line station (Mets-Willets Point) already set up; there are no subway stops near Belmont. There is an LIRR station (Belmont) that is a spur off the main line (Hempstead), and currently runs infrequently. But that could change if there is a major sports stadium there.

Some still question if the Belmont Park location is a good one, that makes sense. Jeff L’Hote, a soccer consultant, says “Having a venue around where the 18- to 34-year-old men are located is a traditional model around the world. I wonder if it’s an attractive location.” We look forward to seeing what happens.

Cosmos Unveil Plan for Soccer Stadium Near Belmont Park [NYT]