The Nassau County Legislature gave its approval to a major lease with Las Vegas Sands Corp. on Monday. This agreement, which was approved by a resounding 18-1 vote, is significant for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum property. The Planning Commission of the county and the Rules Committee of the Legislature had already supported this decision. According to Long Island Press, the development is further supported by the legislature’s unanimous decision in favor of a state environmental review.
The permitting procedure was restarted after a New York State judge declared the original lease deal unlawful in 2023. Las Vegas Sands has been awarded a 27-year lease with the possibility for three more five-year extensions, potentially extending the lease to 42 years, despite the prior setback, thanks to Monday’s vote.
Controversy and Community Reactions
Las Vegas Sands intends to invest $4 billion into developing a casino and resort on the site, an initiative supported by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and various legislators. However, the recent vote primarily secures Sands’ control over the property and does not directly address the casino project. Sands still needs to secure state gaming licenses, with a decision expected next year. If the licenses are not granted, Sands plans to proceed with the resort development.
The casino proposal has sparked considerable controversy among Nassau residents. The Say No To The Casino Civic Association, established in 2023, has voiced concerns about potential issues such as gambling addiction, increased traffic, and environmental impacts. In the neighboring Village of Garden City, Mayor Mary Carter Flanagan has been vocal against the project, emphasizing community opposition. “The Village of Garden City is adamantly and unequivocally opposed to the casino project,” Flanagan stated. “We don’t want more DWI fatalities. We don’t want more addiction. We don’t want more pollution, and we don’t want more traffic.”
Additionally, Hofstra University has criticized the lease agreement, with Vice President of Marketing and Communications Terry Coniglio arguing that it paves the way for the casino’s development. “The operating lease at issue is not for the purpose of maintaining jobs. Rather, it is a precursor to and contemplates the development of a casino at the Nassau Hub,” Coniglio remarked.
Conversely, labor leaders support the lease, highlighting that Las Vegas Sands is the sole bidder for the coliseum and that denying the lease could lead to job losses. The Coliseum, which served as the home for the New York Islanders from 1972 to 2015, has faced ongoing uncertainty regarding its future since the team’s departure.
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