Report: Islanders bid selected for arena at Belmont Park

The New York Islanders' proposal for a new arena at Belmont Park has been selected by the state over the bid from New York City FC, according to Newsday's Jim Baumbach.

A formal announcement will be made at a news conference Wednesday, Baumbach added.

Last week, the Islanders proposed their plan for an 18,000-seat arena that would host up to 200 events per year, as well as 435,000-square for retail, a hotel with 200-to-250 rooms and an "innovation center."

The Islanders moved to the Barclay's Center, located in Brooklyn, following the 2015 season. Since the move, the basketball-designed arena has faced several complaints for insufficient sight lines and poor ice conditions.

The arena at Belmont Park would be much closer to the club's original home in Nassau County, and offers some much-needed security for the Islanders, although any potential timeline for development on the new facility has yet to be announced.