Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Succeeding an air force base on the Hempstead Plains, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum debuted in 1972 as Long Island's foremost sports and entertainment mecca. Its first tenants were a mediocre basketball team and expansion hockey club. Both appeared unlikely to foster a winning attitude, yet soon emerged as champions. Julius "Dr. J." Erving dunked the New York Nets to two titles, and the Islanders launched a star-studded Stanley Cup dynasty. Over the decades, the coliseum has also hosted presidents, legendary musicians, the NHL All-Star Game, and WrestleMania 2. Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum chronicles, for the first time ever, the history of a suburban arena that has often garnered the national spotlight.

Nicholas Hirshon, an alumnus of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, covers the coliseum's legacy from its conception to the Islanders' glory days to modern visions for a renovated facility. He also documents visits by Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and Billy Joel, as well as several sports ventures that time has largely forgotten. Lance W. Elder contributes a foreword based on nearly two decades of management experience at the venue.