Developer may drop plan to include arenas in $2.8B Midway Crossing project

In a surprise move Friday, developers of the $2.8 billion Midway Crossing air terminal and convention center proposal in Ronkonkoma announced they may remove the proposed sports and entertainment venue from the project to appease Suffolk County legislators.

The project’s lead engineer, John Cameron of Woodbury-based Cameron Engineering, made the announcement during a special meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature economic development committee that was called to discuss resolutions for the 179-acre project. Opposition to the arenas had threatened to delay key votes on the project, officials said.

Lawmakers said an agreement had been reached to remove the indoor and outdoor sports and concert arenas following several days of tense talks with Chicago-based developer JLL.

“JLL is willing to withdraw the sports and entertainment to allow the legislature to move forward with a positive vote,” Cameron said during the Hauppauge meeting.

Critics had questioned whether the venues were economically viable, citing their proximity to UBS Arena at Belmont Park, the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale and Madison Square Garden in Manhattan.

Legis. Trish Bergin (R-East Islip) said scaling back the project came after “several days of negotiations” to reach the compromise, with lawmakers and the developer speaking even as late as 1 a.m. Friday.

“This project was simply too big when it got off the ground,” she said Friday. “We’re grateful that the developer agreed to acquiesce” to community concerns.

Legislature Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) called it “a fair compromise.”

A JLL spokesperson declined to comment about the removal of the arenas.

Critics had questioned who would play or perform in the arenas.

Joann Carignan, of Ronkonkoma, said she was relieved the arenas had been scrapped. But she remained skeptical about aspects of the proposal.

“That’s a relief that that’s gone, but there’s still this whole convention center thing. We don’t see a reason for it,” Carignan told Newsday. “While the residents here understand we need some development, absolutely … this whole convention center thing is, I’m not so sure about that.” 

Though Cameron seemed to leave the door open to restoring the arenas in the future, the tone and comments made by the legislators made clear they considered the removal a done deal. References to the arenas were struck from two Midway Crossing resolutions the committee approved Friday. 

The project proposal initially called for 2.7 million square feet of new construction, including the convention center; a 300-room hotel; health sciences facilities; a new air terminal at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma; two arenas — a 4,000-seat indoor arena and an outdoor venue with 4,000 to 6,000 seats — and a walkway connecting the airport and Ronkonkoma’s Long Island Rail Road station.

The arena proposals were the last vestige of a plan floated in 2018 to build a 17,500-seat hockey arena and related health facilities at the site, with hopes of attracting a National Hockey League team. The NHL and the New York Islanders said they had no interest.

JLL later withdrew that plan, which did not include an air terminal, and proposed a smaller arena and convention center. That plan languished for two years. 

Midway Crossing was unveiled last year with the convention center and air terminal as the centerpieces.

Despite questions about the economic viability of the arenas, Midway Crossing has won support from Long Island economists, business leaders and the tourism industry. Supporters tout the plan’s potential for creating thousands of jobs.

The economic development committee voted 7-0 Friday to approve two measures: one formally naming JLL the project’s master developer, and the other forming a local development corporation with Islip Town to finance Midway Crossing using tax-exempt bonds and other measures. 

Both resolutions go to the full legislature, which is expected to vote on them Wednesday. The Islip Town Board voted on Aug. 9 to form the local development corporation.

In a statement Friday, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said: “Today’s bipartisan approval by the economic development committee is an important step forward, as we work to turn one of the most consequential and impactful projects our region has seen in decades into a reality.” 

Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter said she was “pleased” the project moved forward. “We are very supportive of bringing high-paying, sustainable jobs to our town, while increasing our tax base,” she added.

Neither Bellone nor Carpenter addressed the removal of the arena plans.

Bill Sweeney of Local 282 Teamsters was one of many union members at Friday’s meeting who spoke in favor of the project, saying it could lure young residents to the Island — and keep others from fleeing.

“Young people are exiting for better opportunities,” he said. “Very few are staying and even less are coming here. Progress is necessary for Long Island to survive.”

Matthew Aracich, president of the Nassau-Suffolk Building and Construction Trades Council, supported the project Friday but rued the removal of the arenas, dismissing opposition as minor.

“It’s just a small group who expressed their concerns,” Aracich told the legislative committee. “We have to do things for the benefit of everybody in the county.”

With Vera Chinese