Long Island Casino Opposition to Rally Against Sands’ Nassau Coliseum Project
Posted on: May 18, 2023, 12:36h.
Last updated on: May 19, 2023, 01:24h.
A group opposed to a casino on Long Island plans to rally against the proposed project pitched by Las Vegas Sands for the Nassau Coliseum site this Sunday, May 21.
The “Say No to the Casino Civic Association” is a grassroots coalition that includes Nassau County residents. Organizers are inviting anyone who opposes commercial gambling on New York’s Long Island to gather outside the Nassau Legislative Building on Sunday afternoon. Come Monday. The Nassau County Legislature is set to vote on a proposal that would transfer the lease of the Nassau Hub and Coliseum to Sands to build an integrated casino resort destination.
“Say No to the Casino” opposes allowing Sands to redevelop the 72-acre property, which mixed-use real estate development firms have unsuccessfully targeted in recent years.
This will be the final opportunity to voice opposition before the County Legislature is entrusted with this important decision,” said Garden City Mayor Mary Carter Flanagan, one of the local officials who is opposing the Sands project. Flanagan has no vote on whether the Nassau Hub lease is transferred.
Sands already has the support of Nassau County Executive Director Bruce Blakeman. The proposal to transfer the property to Sands passed the county legislature’s Rules Committee last week. Four Republicans passed the motion in the seven-member committee.
Opponents: Concerns Outweigh Benefits
Sands no longer has a domestic casino in its portfolio but operates integrated resorts in China’s Macau and Singapore. It has pledged to direct tens of millions of dollars in Nassau County’s way should it gain control of the Nassau Hub and Coliseum. The casino operator formerly owned and operated The Venetian and Palazzo on the Las Vegas Strip and Sands Bethlehem in Eastern Pennsylvania has agreed to pay Long Island County $54 million upon lease receipt.
Sands will then pay Nassau County $5 million in annual rent and $900K annually to cover increased public safety costs. Should Sands secure one of the three full-scale commercial gaming licenses allocated for New York’s downstate region, the annual rent would increase to $10 million, and the public safety component would double.
“Say No to the Casino” and other opponents to the Sands plan cite increased traffic and crime as two leading reasons for their hostility.
“This casino will change the character of Nassau County and the surrounding neighborhoods and will lead to an increase in crime, traffic, and noise pollution. It will also put a strain on our local law enforcement and governments,” said John Chiara, who started the “Say No to the Casino” group.
Fierce Bidding
Even if the Nassau County Legislature decides to transfer the Nassau Hub lease to Sands, there’s no guarantee that a casino will come to Uniondale. Though three downstate New York casino licenses are up for grabs, Resorts World New York City and Empire City Casino are considered heavy favorites for two of the licenses.
Though there’s a chance the New York State Gaming Commission and its Gaming Facility Location Board will opt to award the coveted $500 million licenses to other gaming operators seeking entry into the Empire State, the presumption among lobbyists and gaming analysts is that only one license will be available.
Sands, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, Mohegan, Bally’s Corp., and Hard Rock International are prepping bids for the downstate licenses.
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Last Comments ( 2 )
If you really want a casino in Nassau County, remember the following "lesson learned" that other communities with casinos forgot to anticipate -- A very common criticism is that casinos and other gambling venues did not generate consumer spending but merely siphoned it from other establishments. Don't set yourself up to someday say, "We never thought of that!"
The New York Times just ran an article on the backlash to the recent uncontrolled expansion of the gambling industry in the United States. Europe is already clamping down on predatory gambling enterprises, and U.S. regulators are also becoming increasingly strict. The current "Happy Time" for gambling industry expansion is coming to an end, and we will soon be seeing casino closures and gambling industry bankruptcies as the industry is forced to consolidate. Anyone who partners with an industry that is driven entirely by greed (e.g. Blakeman) will eventually find themselves in a world of hurt, and they will have no one to blame but themselves. Nassau County does not want a casino!