New York Cosmos tired of waiting, could move on alternate stadium sites soon

It appears that the New York Cosmos are finally tired of waiting. According to a Newsday article, the Cosmos are prepared to start "seriously exploring" alternative sites for their stadium besides Belmont if the state government does not make a final decision before the end of the year.

After being given the cold shoulder since 2013, the Cosmos have flirted with the idea of alternative stadium locations, and now confirm that if the deal falls through, they have tabs on several other locations in Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn (where the Cosmos have played once before) , and a little further away in New Jersey and Westchester. However, no specific sites were named by the club.

This news comes after a saga of waiting for the Cosmos that dates back to 2013, when the bid was first proposed. The club has been waiting for the $400 million dollar decision by the board, and has been for the past two years. According to Erik Stover, the club has spent millions of dollars on other fees in response to state requests, and says that the lack of a permanent home has made it harder for the club to sign some high-profile players.

The proposed stadium would be the biggest in the NASL and one of the largest in the country, with retail, hotels, and the building of/refurbishing of some local parks and soccer pitches. However, the Cosmos are done waiting on a final decision, and the clock starts ticking on this $400 million dollar deal. Currently, an Empire State Development spokesman has said that the group "continues to review and consider all responses."