First Show Since the Long Island Venue Underwent a Major Renovation
UNIONDALE (October 11, 2016) – Legendary musician Billy Joel will perform the first show at the new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday, April 5, 2017. The announcement signifies the venue’s reopening after undergoing an extensive renovation. On August 4, 2015, exuberant Billy Joel fans packed Nassau Coliseum for the arena’s final show as Joel closed the venue with an unforgettable three-hour show.
Joel, a Long Island native, will play his 33rd show at the Coliseum. He sold out nine shows in 1998, setting the venue’s record for the most sellouts in one year. In honor of that success, a banner will continue to hang in the rafters as it did prior to the Coliseum’s renovation.
Tickets for the show will go on sale on Friday, October 14 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public on Thursday, October 13 from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. (Supply is limited).
The Coliseum’s Long Island All Access Pass is an annual season-ticket membership that will launch on Friday, October 14, as well. The Pass provides its members with a premium experience that includes parking, access to the VIP entrance and club level, and tickets in the lower bowl to every event, including Billy Joel. Members will also have access to exclusive presales to purchase additional tickets for events. More information is available at nassaucoliseum.com.
“Billy Joel is an international icon and a New York treasure, and we are thrilled to welcome him back to the Nassau Coliseum to showcase the very best of Long Island,” Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said. “These renovations have taken this premier venue to new heights, and I know it will continue to serve as one of New York’s top entertainment destinations and a local economic engine for many years to come.”
“There’s no better performer suited to reopen the transformed Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum than Long Island’s own, Billy Joel,” said Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano. “Billy serves as an exciting reminder of entertainment our residents will enjoy at the Coliseum for generations to come.”
“It is an honor to welcome Billy Joel, the voice and pride of Long Island, home to the new Coliseum,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, who is overseeing the operations, programming, and marketing for the new venue. “The Coliseum is entering its final phase of construction, encompassing the implementation of the exterior façade, and will soon be ready to rock again. April 5 is a celebration for Long Island and its spectacular venue, which will revive the area as a vibrant entertainment market.”
Having sold 150 million records over the past quarter century, Billy Joel ranks as one of most popular recording artists and respected entertainers in history. The singer/songwriter/composer is the sixth best-selling recording artist of all time, the third best-selling solo artist and is one of the highest grossing touring artists in the world. In 2014, Billy Joel received both The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song which honors living musical artists’ lifetime achievement in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations, and the once-in-a-century ASCAP Centennial Award, which is presented to American music icons in recognition of their incomparable accomplishments in their respective music genres and beyond.
In December 2013, Joel received The Kennedy Center Honors, one of the United States’ top cultural awards. He is also the recipient of six GRAMMY® Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Legend Award. Joel has been inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has received numerous industry awards. “Movin’ Out,” a Broadway musical based on Joel’s music choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp, took home two Tony Awards, including Best Orchestrations – Joel’s first Tony Award win – and Best Choreography. For his accomplishments as a musician and as a humanitarian, Joel was honored as the 2002 MusiCares Person Of The Year by the MusiCares Foundation and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. Billy Joel received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, adding another milestone to his extraordinary career.
ABOUT THE NEW NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM
The new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum located on Long Island is currently under renovation and scheduled to reopen April 5, 2017. The venue, which originally opened in 1972, is being transformed into a world-class entertainment and lifestyle destination.
The programming schedule for the arena will include concerts, sports, family shows, and the Brooklyn Nets’ D-League team, the Long Island Nets. The venue will have a capacity of 13,000 for hockey, 13,500 for basketball, and 14,500 for standard concert configurations, with the ability to flex up. The bowl will also have a theater seating option for 4,000 guests. The Coliseum will offer authentic Long Island food and beverages through its Long Island Taste program, showcasing local restaurants and vendors.
~ COME HOME TO THE NEW COLISEUM ~