NY Islanders fans have a new way to spend game day at Belmont and it's free

For New York Islanders fans looking to make a full day out of a trip to UBS Arena, there's a new pregame option right next door. And it won't cost anything extra to get in.

As Ben Dickson reported in Newsday, the newly renovated Belmont Park racetrack has become a popular destination for Islanders fans before home games, thanks in part to a promotion offering free general admission to the races.

Belmont Park reopened Sept. 18 following a three-year, $555 million redevelopment, giving fans another reason to arrive in Elmont hours before puck drop.

On days when horse racing and Islanders home games overlap, fans with tickets to that night's hockey game can redeem complimentary admission to Belmont Park.

The promotion is available through the Islanders' game-day email, which includes a link and promotional code. Regular racetrack admission costs $7 in advance or $10 at the gate.

According to Dickson, 205 Islanders ticket holders took advantage of the offer ahead of the Oct. 10 game against Tampa Bay.

Some fans are already making it a regular tradition.

Brooklyn season-ticket holders Michelle Aileen and Colleen Smith told Newsday they had visited the track three or four times before Islanders games this season.

"This is what we plan on doing now before every game," Aileen said.

There is one important catch, however.

Parking isn't included in the promotion, and fans need to be mindful of restrictions on leaving vehicles in Belmont Park's Silver lot during Islanders games. General admission parking costs $8.38 in advance or $10 on race day.

Still, the combination offers something relatively unique in professional sports, that being an afternoon at the races followed by an NHL game, all within walking distance. For Islanders fans already planning to spend the evening at UBS Arena, it's an opportunity to turn game night into an all-day experience.

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