New York Cosmos COO Erik Stover is opening up about the team’s contingency plans for a soccer specific stadium in the event of a rejection at their proposed Elmont site.

“I truly believe Belmont is going to happen for us. I don’t have a timeline. I wish I did. I wish it was resolved by now. I think we all do. But I do believe it is going to happen,” Stover tells Nick Laveglia and Luis Hernandez of the new Cosmos Podcast, ‘This Is Cosmos Country.’ “We remain very confident. It is as good a proposal as you could have. Hopefully as we get to the next however many days, a decision comes.”

Despite that belief, the Cosmos aren’t sitting on their hands. They have begun looking at alternate locations for a potential stadium, which include a pair of locations within the New York City limits.

“We have three sites we like very much right now,” Stover said. “Two are in the five boroughs, one is not, but still in the New York, Metropolitan area.

“Everyday there seems to be another one. I got another email today from a municipality saying they are desperate to have us and want to start conversations. There are options out there.”

Stover would not specify the exact location of the sites, but did concede that they are “in some ways, better than Belmont, in some ways, worse than Belmont.”

The Cosmos submitted a bid in late 2013 to redevelop a portion of land in Elmont, just off of the Cross Island Expressway. A soccer specific stadium serves as the crown jewel of the project, with restaurants, hotels and community amenities sprinkled about the avenue, creating a year long destination community to compliment the Belmont Racetrack. To further sweeten the proposal, the Cosmos are not asking for any taxpayer subsidies in building their arena.

As the wait continues, Stover is encouraging Cosmos fans to take up their feelings with the ESD to bring a final resolution to the table.

“Continue sending letters to the Empire State Development Corporation. Explain to them we want this, we need this, that it is essential. Let’s not forget the kind of economic impact this will have on the community. Remind people this will certainly help,” he said.

“We have been doing that all along. It may seem like things are quiet and nothing is happening but we try to keep people informed as much as we can, building the grassroots support quietly, and there are reasons for that, but any support the fans can give whether sending e-mail or writing letters, is greatly appreciated.”