Nassau Coliseum Closure Will Cause Nearly 1,500 Layoffs

UNIONDALE, NY — Last month, it was announced that Nassau Coliseum would be closed indefinitely due to financial loses suffered during the coronavirus shutdown. Today, in filings with the state, the effects of that closure came more into focus.

In documents filed with the state's Department of Labor, Nassau Event Operations — a subsidiary of Onexim Sports and Entertainment — which manages the Coliseum, said that the closure will come with 1,419 layoffs.

The Coliseum was set to be the temporary home of the Islanders this season while the team works on building its new arena at Belmont. The Islanders last played at the Coliseum March 7, and then the NHL suspended the season March 12 due to the coronavirus.

Onexim said that during the shutdown, it had been paying Coliseum employees their full salaries and reimbursed ticket holders for canceled events. The Coliseum, opened in 1972, is home to the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League and the venue has also hosted concerts and wrestling, among other events.

When the closure was announced, Onexim said it was looking for a new company to take over the remainder of its lease with the county and operate the Coliseum.

"Sadly, the unforeseeable and unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating effect on the operations of the Coliseum and its finances, and delayed the planned development," Onexim said in a statement last month. "While we still believe in the enormous long term economic value of the Coliseum and the development of the surrounding land, [Nassau Events Center] recognizes that such value will be best realized by other parties."