Proposals sought to redevelop parts of Belmont Park

New York state is looking for proposals on how to redevelop parts of Belmont Park, the horse racing facility on Long Island that is home to one leg of the Triple Crown.

The request for proposals issued Monday by Empire State Development says the goal is to "strengthen Belmont as a premier destination for entertainment, sports, recreation, retail and hospitality."

One idea that has come up at public discussions is a new home for the New York Islanders hockey team, which spent most of its existence based on Long Island but currently plays in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. The team has not commented, but National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman said in April the Islanders would be participating in the process.

The area to be redeveloped is about 36 acres, made up of underused parking lots. Belmont opened in 1905 and was redeveloped in the mid-1960s. The request for proposals calls for proposals that would be complementary to the existing racetrack.

This isn't the first time proposals for development have been sought. In 2013, a soccer team proposed the construction of a 25,000-seat stadium, a $400 million project, but that request was cancelled late last year.

Proposals are due at the end of September.