Sources: Nassau Coliseum workers receive termination letters

While the New York Islanders are fighting to keep the Nassau Coliseum doors open as long as possible this spring, arena staffers received termination letters this week as notice that they will be laid off this summer, several sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

The news of the layoffs, reported to be of more than 40 full-time and 2,500 part-time employees, was first reported by Newsday.

The layoffs will occur by July 31, when the lease between the building's management group, Spectator Management Group, and Nassau County expires.

"It's as real as it is," one worker told ESPN.com of the notification.

And while these layoffs were expected with the Islanders relocating to Barclays Center and the lease expiring, there is significant anxiety among the workers about whether they will be rehired when the arena reopens. As of now, the arena is closing for the summer while undergoing renovations by developer Bruce Ratner (who also runs Barclays Center). The building is expected to reopen in 2016.

Will any of these workers be brought back once that happens?

"This is a time of transition with the Islanders leaving and new plans for the Coliseum. We cannot speak to the specifics related to the current workers since they are not our employees, but we will evaluate the operating plan for the renovated arena when we take over," Forest City Ratner Companies spokeswoman Ashley Cotton told ESPN.com in a statement via email. "At the appropriate time, designated representatives of the current employees will be contacted to discuss the anticipated hiring process, staffing levels and other details."

As of now, Forest City has no control over the employment of those workers, as the building is still controlled by SMG.

There remains hope, however, that many of these longtime staffers are retained.

"We have an amazing and dedicated staff. Some employees have been here for 30-plus years. We hope once the Coliseum reopens every employee has an opportunity to return to the new renovated Coliseum," Nassau Coliseum general manager Jerry Goldman told ESPN.com when reached via email.

Calls to the Pennsylvania-based SMG corporate offices were not returned.