Islanders plan to submit bid to build new arena at Belmont Park

The New York Islanders are looking at Belmont Park as the site for their new hockey arena and plan to submit a bid to the state of New York, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday.

Bettman also mentioned the land next to the New York Mets' Citi Field in Willets Point as a possible spot for the team, while noting that the team's former home, a renovated Nassau Coliseum is "not a long-term option."

"Yes, there is an RFP [request for proposal] for Belmont and I know they are going to participate in that," Bettman told a group from the The Associated Press Sports Editors in New York, according to Newsday. "I believe that everyone thinks there is a terrific opportunity there, if not at Willets Point, to create a more hockey friendly environment for the Islanders, which is something [Islanders co-owner] Scott [Malkin] is committed to do."

The Islanders and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, which both operate Barclays Center and Nassau Coliseum, did not comment to Newsday about the matter.