Nassau Coliseum, also known as The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, is an
arena/
exhibition site in Nassau County, on
Long Island,
NY. It is the largest venue on
Long Island (that is, in
Nassau or
Suffolk counties).
The Coliseum was opened on May 29, 1972, after being built at a cost of 32 million dollars. It is 460 feet long, 340 feet wide, and 75 feet in height. In total, it seats 18,000 people in its five arenas: concert, wrestling, basketball, hockey/ice skating, and Disney on Ice. In addition, there is an exhibition hall consisting of 60,000 square feet of floorspace, that regularly houses custom car, home remodeling, pet, flower, and boat shows. It is managed by the Spectacor Management Group, or SMG. 6,600 on site parking spaces are available.
The Coliseum, in addition to hosting annual exhibition events, concerts, and Disney on Ice, is the home of three New York sport teams:
Also, from 1972 - 1977 the Coliseum was the home of the
New York Nets (basketball).
After almost 30 years of use, the Nassau Coliseum is "beginning to show its age." Unfortunately, in recent years, the Islanders have expressed interest in leaving the Coliseum's worn out seating, and PA system which sounds like a "clock radio." Construction plans have been made to build a new Coliseum for the Islanders on Long Island in the next few years.
Despite its age, the Coliseum is still a great place for a concert or show or sporting event. While, as a tourist attraction, it doesn't warrant a cross country flight, if you happen to be in New York, it's a great place to go. For residents of Long Island, the Coliseum is the old standby; going into the city for a game or show is a big deal, but the Coliseum is just a short drive to Uniondale. It's just 20 minutes from JFK Airport, and only one mile from the Marriott Hotel.
Obviously, it's not the Coliseum itself that makes it great, but what's there. Eight year olds in the house? Disney on Ice. Sports lover? Take your pick. To give you a taste of what's there, in the upcoming weeks there will be 4 hockey games, 1 lacrosse game, 3 performances of Disney on Ice, Janet Jackson, Linkin Park, a local radio station's Christmas Jam concert, a monster truck jam, and a Harlem Globetrotters game. It's a great venue if you're in the neighborhood: tickets are easier to get than in the more crowded arenas of NYC, and also considerably cheaper. Keep it in mind for your next trip to New York.
1255 Hempstead Turnpike
Uniondale, New York 11553-1200
(516)794-9300
From Lower Manhattan: Battery tunnel to
Belt Parkway, proceeding east to the
Southern State Parkway
to exit 22N (
Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Midtown Manhattan: Midtown Tunnel to
Long Island Expressway (495) east to exit 38,
Northern
State Parkway to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Upper Manhattan: Triborough Bridge to
Grand Central Parkway which runs into Northern State Parkway
to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Queens:Grand Central Parkway which runs into Northern State Parkway to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway
south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Brooklyn: Belt Parkway to Southern State Parkway east to exit 22N. (Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4,
Nassau Coliseum.
From The Bronx: Triborough,
Whitestone, or
Throgs Neck Bridge to Queens. Pick up the Grand Central Parkway
east to the Northern State Parkway to exit 31A. (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Staten Island: Verrazano Narrows Bridge to Belt Parkway east to the Southern State Parkway East to
exit 22N (Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Upstate New York: New York Thruway to Throgs Neck Bridge to Queens. Pick up the Grand Central
Parkway east which runs into the Northern State Parkway east to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Connecticut: Connecticut Turnpike to the Throgs Neck Bridge to the Long Island Expressway (495) east to exit 38.
Northern State Parkway east to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Westchester: Route 95 to the Throgs Neck Bridge to the Long Island Expressway (495) east to exit 38, Northern
State Parkway east to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Southern or Central New Jersey: New Jersey Turnpike to exit 13,
Goethals Bridge, across the Verrazano Bridge
to Belt Parkway East to Southern State Parkway (25A), toexit 22N (Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Northern New Jersey: George Washington Bridge to Triborough Bridge to Grand Central Parkway which
runs into Northern State Parkway (east) to exit 31A (Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Eastern Long Island (South Shore): Sunrise Highway to Southern State Parkway to exit 22N
(Meadowbrook Parkway north) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
From Eastern Long Island (North Shore): Long Island Expressway West to Northern State Parkway to exit 31A
(Meadowbrook Parkway south) to exit M4, Nassau Coliseum.
Take the
Long Island Railroad to the
Hempstead Train Station. Walk one block to the Hempstead Bus Terminal
and take either the N70, N71, or the N72, which will drop you off on
Hempstead Turnpike opposite the Nassau Coliseum.
Or Take the Long Island Railroad to the
Westbury Train Station, at which there are no buses available, and you must take a cab to the Nassau Coliseum.