Could Brooklyn provide the Cosmos a viable alternative to Belmont?

The New York Cosmos, since the reboot in 2013, have always had their eyes on a full-sized, soccer specific, professional-grade stadium all of their own. Having your own stadium is a huge step forwards in planting yourself into the national stage. Right now, the Cosmos have their eye on a good-sized plot of land right next to the Elmont racetrack, and to be honest, it looks absolutely amazing. The profile of the stadium is low, there will be new shops built in, and even a pretty looking park to all be built right next to the stadium to appease resident,s and from what we’ve heard, many residents are okay with it. So why has the stadium not been approved yet? Despite the fact that there was supposed to be an announcement, many in the club have decided that the announcement will most probably come later rather than sooner. Apparently, there is also word that some developers have an eye on building a casino at the site. So what now?

Personally, I don’t think that we have any reason to worry. From what we’ve heard, there’s no cause for concern if the Belmont location were to fall through. First of all, Shuart, however temporary or small, is still a good stadium. The team can fill it well, and it works well enough. However, if the club really wants to further itself, it will have to get a soccer specific stadium of their own.

There are also many other locations the team could use, and if the stalling from the state continues, we may well see the club begin to get serious about some of them. The Borough President of Brooklyn, Eric Adams, has made it clear that he would love the Cosmos to make their home in Brooklyn. He noted in an earlier press conference that there have been "discussions" about finding a spot at Coney Island, and that he'd support such a move. The mayor of Yonkers has also talked about the Cosmos, and made it abundantly clear that he wants a club in his city. But what would moving out of Long Island mean for the team?

By moving into a borough of the actual city, the club could lose its image as Long Island’s team, which might be both good or bad depending on your point of view. While the Cosmos have tried to make themselves the city’s team, that title is also claimed by two MLS franchises, the New York Red Bulls, and New York City FC. The Red Bulls cite the fact that they've got 20 years of recent history, while NYCFC are the only club to regularly play within the five buroughs.

Elmont might be the best option for the club in terms of both available space and proximity to their current fanbase, so hopefully we get good news from the state of New York at some point soon. If that falls through, however, the match in Brooklyn showed that viable alternatives are certainly out there.