When UBS Arena opens up this fall, hopefully with 18,000 Islanders fans on hand, the magnificent new arena at Belmont Park is going to feature industry-leading sanitation technologies along with operational, staffing, contactless technology and cleaning solutions that will keep Islanders fans, as well as those attending concerts and other events, healthy and safe as we navigate towards the end of the pandemic and towards the new normal. Those health and safety guidelines and protocols will debut as UBS Arena reopens its Preview Club located in Manhattan’s Flatiron District.
The Preview Club will soon be welcoming sponsors, clients, and sales prospects back to the space that resembles the premium club and the suite offerings that will be available at UBS Arena when it is set to open in November. Guests will enjoy a healthy and safe experience when they visit the indoor space as UBS Arena will be adhering to all local, state and federal health recommendations and the most up-to-date guidance that will lead up to and beyond the opening of the Islanders’ new home this fall.
“We’re working to ensure our health and safety protocols are getting implemented across our OVG portfolio of properties,” said Tim Leiweke, CEO of Oak View Group. “Our team is comprised of the best and brightest experts in their respective fields, to make sure UBS Arena has the highest-grade cutting-edge technology and safety sanitization in place to increase consumer confidence.”
In order to achieve the desired health and safety protocols, UBS Arena has turned to the expertise of consultants Dr. K. Elizabeth Hawk, MS MD PhD and Ed Bosco, PE New York-based Managing Principal at ME Engineers. Arena management is actively working towards GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation that UBS Arena will feature cleanliness and sanitation efforts that are aligned with the most stringent guidelines in the industry. By partnering with health experts and local officials to consider every aspect of the guest experience as well as the wellbeing of patrons and staff, the following protocols will be in place at UBS Arena and will debut at the Preview Club.
All guests will be required to practice social distancing.
Face coverings must be properly worn at all possible times.
When guests are seating, they are encouraged to continue wearing face masks when interacting with others but can remove them when eating and/or drinking.
All staff will need to have proper training on COVID-19 disinfection and safety protocols that include proper hygiene, hospitality etiquette, PPE usage, COVID-19 symptoms, and reporting protocols.
“UBS Arena is committed to providing state-of-the-art service, sanitization, and safety, following all recommended federal, state, and local guidelines,” said Hawk. “From hockey games to concerts and other live events, UBS Arena will cultivate an inviting environment in which guests can connect and enjoy a memorable experience as they look to safely take full advantage of the arena’s unique amenities.”
“Over the past year, our COVID-19 task force has considered and evaluated more than 250 strategies to identify those that rise to the top as we work to develop the roadmap for facilities of the future,” said Bosco. “The Preview Club is our first opportunity to introduce the public to these solutions so the patron perspective can be considered along with the science.”
A limited number of Islanders fans have returned to home games during the final season at Nassau Coliseum, but with the vaccine rollout ramping up and New York State guidelines for attending games during pandemic continuing to evolve and loosen, there is a hope that when UBS Arena opens this fall there could be 100 percent capacity allowed as opposed to the current guidelines of 20 percent. Whatever the capacity is allowed to be come November, the Islanders and UBS Arena are going to great lengths to ensure that fans will be safe when attending games and that all of the necessary protocols are in place.
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