UBS Arena at Belmont Park, home of the New York Islanders Hockey Club, is scheduled to open its doors to the public on November 20, 2021. Touted as a template for arenas moving forward, UBS Arena has been built from the ground up with safety and sanitization protocols paramount in the design and construction.
Developed in partnership with Oak View Group, the New York Islanders, and Jeff Wilpon, the $1.1 billion multi-purpose, state-of-the art UBS Arena will host more than 150 entertainment and sports events annually. The facility is designed to hold up to 19,000 people for concerts and audiences around 17,000 for NHL games. In an effort to build a greener future, UBS Arena intends on being carbon neutral for operations before 2024, which will make it the first arena to do so on the eastern U.S. seaboard.
The Metro New York venue will both employ a mix of industry-leading contactless technologies paired with cleaning and disinfecting solutions that are proven and effective in large scale public spaces, to keep its spaces safe and in compliance with the most up-to- date recommended guidance leading up to UBS Arena’s opening. System flexibility will allow the venue to adapt as new understandings inform the response to indoor air quality challenges. Operational and staffing strategies will supplement the performance of the installed systems.
Serving the venue’s entire 700,000-square-foot footprint, the arena will utilize DDC ventilation controls to improve the performance and reliability of space ventilation. The facility’s state-of-the-art HVAC system will control arena temperature, humidity, and ventilation in response to requirements of the event and the outdoor conditions. MERV 13 filters in central HVAC units provide the balance of efficiency and performance that has become the standard for public buildings across the U.S. Outdoor air flow will be modulated in response to occupancy, outdoor conditions, and evolving health guidelines. To deliver the highest level of safety, UBS Arena will employ a dedicated engineering team to monitor HVAC systems in real time to confirm that the intended ventilation is being provided to all spaces.
Bolstered by the expertise of health and engineering consultants Dr. K. Elizabeth Hawk, MS MD Ph.D. and Ed Bosco, PE New York-based Managing Principal at ME Engineers, UBS Arena is dedicated to providing an unrivaled guest experience while adhering to all local, state, and federal health recommendations.
Through its cleaning partners, the facility is employing the latest sanitization solutions including the use of protectants and sanitizers to minimize pathogens on all surfaces. UBS Arena will continue to identify effective solutions for consideration while monitoring guidance from the CDC, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and other health authorities.
Additionally, UBS Arena has adopted the enhanced Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ solution to support its facility operations with more than 140 expert-validated standards across more than 600 venue checkpoints. With the health, safety, and wellbeing of patrons and staff the utmost priority, UBS Arena has partnered with health experts and local officials to think through every aspect of the guest experience. All staff will receive mandatory training on COVID-19 disinfection and safety protocols including proper hygiene, hospitality etiquette, PPE usage, COVID-19 symptoms reporting protocols, and more.
Upon opening, UBS Arena will employ numerous health and safety strategies, leveraging smart technology and contactless experiences through its concessionaire partner Delaware North. The facility will offer guests contactless grab-and-go food & beverage mobile ordering, restrooms equipped with touchless fixtures and dispensers, and cashless checkout options for all sales to allow guests and staff to more safely interact within the arena. Additionally, parking on site at the venue will be cashless and contactless.
Following New York State Department of Health’s COVID-19 health and safety guidance, all guests ages 12 and up will be required to present proof of full vaccination status or proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter the venue. Protocols are subject to change based on updates to guidelines from the CDC, New York State, and Nassau County Department of Health. Further information regarding logistics for fans to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test will be made available prior to the first public event at UBS Arena.
