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Kansas City Reportedly Remains An Option For The NHL's NY Islanders

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I haven't heard this story in a while.

WNBC in New York reports that if a new stadium deal between the New York Islanders and Hempstead Town, NY can't get done, then Kansas City and Queens, NY remain options.

The supervisor of Hempstead Town, Kate Murray, unveiled a proposed zone for the county-owned land surrounding Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. The new zoning plan would halve the size of the Lighthouse Project, the name of the proposed arena and development, and could potentially make it more difficult to for a developer to make a profit.

If that deal falls through, sources tell WNBC that Kansas City's Sprint Center would be an option. The Islanders and Los Angeles Kings played an exhibition game at Sprint Center in 2009 causing some to speculate it was an opportunity for the Islanders management to check out the Sprint Center.

Another group has started to make plans in Queens for the Islanders should they move. The proposed stadium would be near where the New York Mets play.

The last time Kansas City came this close to getting a hockey team was in 2008 when Pittsburgh Penguins officials met with Kansas City and Sprint Center officials to discuss a possible move to Kansas City. The Penguins decided to stay in Pittsburgh.

Though it has no home tenant, Sprint Center was recently named the third busiest concert arena in the country by Pollstar.