The New York Islanders are in talks with the owners of the New York Mets about building a hockey arena adjacent to Citi Field in Queens, people with knowledge of the discussions said.
Willets Point is emerging as a persuasive alternative to the team's current home at Brooklyn's Barclays Center if the Islanders' owners and arena officials can't agree on a series of hockey-specific improvements, said the people, who asked for anonymity because the negotiations are private.
The team's first season at Barclays Center, which is owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, was marred by poor reviews from fans, who complained about obstructed view seats, and from players, who who said the quality of the ice was sub-par. The team's owners also realized they couldn't make as much money as their league counterparts, most of which play in bigger arenas.
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