Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano unveiled an economic development plan Wednesday that would bring a casino to Belmont Park and replace the aging Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum with a new sports arena and minor league ballpark.
“Without a new arena, we will lose the Islanders, shutter the aging coliseum and besides losing present jobs, will lose the currently substantial economic benefits including all the existing arena and secondary jobs,” Mangano said at press conference held at Nassau Coliseum. “The construction of a new home for the Islanders and the redevelopment of the Coliseum site will generate thousands of construction and secondary jobs plus thousands of permanent jobs.”
Mangano said a second component of his economic development plan was the construction of a casino at Belmont Park with the Shinnecock Indian Nation, which recently won recognition from the federal government.
He is working with Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos and state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) on the casino project, which is independent of the coliseum redevelopment.
Nassau County residents will be asked in a referendum on August 1 to approve financing for the $350 million arena and $50 million minor league ballpark on the coliseum site. Construction on the arena would begin in 2012 and end by 2015. The ballpark could be finished sooner. Mangano said there has been interest in a ballpark from more than one minor league team.
Mangano said the public would be repaid through a cost-sharing agreement between the county and developers. Contracts, he said, would be negotiated by county officials and voted on by the Legislature after the referendum. A bipartisan advisory committee will consider other redevelopment opportunities in the 77-acres that surround Nassau Coliseum.
“The Islanders will repay with a share of every dollar,” Mangano said. “The intention and plan is not to cost the taxpayer one single dime.”
Islanders owner Charles Wang said he is confident that the deal will go through.
“It has been a long journey to get to this point and I am extremely confident that a new home for the Islanders will be built and a destination location will be achieved,” he said. “Building a new home for our New York Islanders is critical to the future of Long Island and its only professional sports team. The fans deserve it, and our local economy needs it.”
Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray said she is looking forward to working with Mangano.
The project has additional support from the Nassau-Suffolk Building Trades union and the Long Island Federation of Labor.
“The construction of a new arena and the development of the surrounding land will bring thousands of good union jobs and millions of dollars into our struggling economy,” said Long Island Federation of Labor President John Durso.
Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Diane Yatauro said in a release following the announcement that “In light of the NIFA (Nassau Interim Finance Authority) takeover I would like to hear from our new financial partners on this vital issue. I believe the shift to Belmont for a casino is preferable to the Administration’s initial choice of the property near the Nassau Coliseum. While I support reasonable development that fosters job creation and economic growth, I want to fully address the impact of an additional $400 million in borrowing to construct the proposed sports center. Let’s hope the Administration proceeds properly and effectively to make all this happen.”
Wang said the new arena would bring hope to his struggling team. Islander players agreed it would help attract the best players.
“The training facilities are going to be first class,” said Islander Matt Moulson. “This arena is a little old. We’ve got to kind of catch up to the rest of the league.”
Critical of the proposal was George Sava, a candidate for Town of Hempstead Supervisor.
“Mangano’s plan is also cynical and immediately expensive,” he said in a statement. “He has proposed a special election when many people will be away. Not only are special elections ill-attended, but they are an additional cost.”
After floating the idea of a casino at Nassau Coliseum in his 2011 state of the county address, Mangano called a casino at Belmont “more than likely” and said it would help offset the cost of government.
“With recent federal recognition of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, a casino on Long Island is likely,” he said. “It is important that Nassau taxpayers benefit from the thousands of jobs and millions in annual revenue a casino will generate for the state and county. Belmont Park is ideal for such a facility.”
The U.S. Department of the Interior would have to approve the off-reservation casino. The interior department last winter turned down an off-reservation casino proposed in the Catskills by Wisconsin tribe Stockbridge-Munsee.
“Elmont and other local communities will greatly benefit from the dollars generated by a casino at Belmont Park,” Skelos said. “Now is the time to jump-start our economy and create jobs at both Belmont and Nassau Coliseum.”
The project could face opposition from Queens officials. After a decade-long debacle, state officials recently granted approval for a video gaming casino at the Aqueduct raceway by Genting New York, a subsidiary of the largest casino gambling company in England and Southeast Asia.
A source close to the Aqueduct casino said the Shinnecock Nation’s chances are not good because off-reservation sites have been frowned upon by the federal government.
Shinnecock Nation Tribal President Randy King said his tribe floated the idea of a casino at Aqueduct first and the developer was well aware of the possibility of a nearby casino.
“We hope that the market share can support two casinos,” he said. “This is the largest city in the world and it stands to reason it can support both.”
He said he looks forward to discussing a facility at Belmont with state officials, the local community and all stakeholders.
