ELMONT, N.Y. — A new Long Island Rail Road station will be built at Belmont Park as part of a project that will also include a new arena for hockey’s New York Islanders, along with a hotel and shopping center.
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced plans on Monday for the station — the first new full-time station for the LIRR since 1976. The New York Arena Partners, developers of the arena and retail complex, will cover $97 million of the estimated $105 million for the station, with public money accounting for the remainder.
The new station, to be located between the existing Queens Village and Bellerose stations, will allow direct service to Belmont Park from Long Island as well as from New York City with trains on the expanding Main Line, soon to be triple tracked for 10 miles in Nassau County.
Currently, the Belmont Park Racetrack is served by a spur that can only provide direct service from New York City to the west of the racetrack. The new station saves Long Island residents a 10-mile detour requiring them to change trains at Jamaica in both directions. It will also provide more commuting options, with service approximately every half hour during peak periods and hourly at other times.
LIRR President Phillip Eng said, “We are delighted by this plan, which allows us to provide full time year-round service to the Elmont community and a second station at the redeveloped Belmont Park, all at no construction cost to the LIRR.”
The new station is projected to help generate nearly $50 million in new public revenue per year and produce $725 million in annual economic output.
