All For August 4

Quick Note: I will be live-tweeting this event until I have to leave or my iPhone dies (whichever comes first), so check me out either on the left-hand side of this site, through your favorite Twitter client (@LetThereBeLH) or on the Twitter site itself. Please be sure to tell your friends and neighbors so they can share in history as well.

I've expelled thousands of words on the Lighthouse and why it is the right project at the right time for Long Island. We've had a lot of fun here, learned a lot, and had interesting debates with supporters and opponents, some coherent, but mostly incoherent. I have always talked about the critical time for the Lighthouse.

Tomorrow, it arrives.

Tomorrow, we can be part of history.

Tomorrow, we can stand up and say that we will no longer be shackled to the bankrupt ideology of the past.

Tomorrow, we can stand up for a brighter future for ourselves and this very special Island that has needed an identity since the aviation industry moved away.

Seth Godin, one of my business idols, always says that in this day and age there can be only two types of companies: brave and dead. I believe the same is true for communities, and tomorrow we can prove that we want to be brave.

I don't know how much else I could say about this, so I just hope to see you tomorrow.

I will be there all day, starting with the "Just Build It" rally at the Nassau Coliseum parking lot starting at 8 AM. I think the best way to do this is a simple nuts and bolts of what to expect tomorrow:

The Hearing

Based on a previous conversation with Joe Ra at the Town of Hempstead and research with other sources, this is what I've been able to piece together about tomorrow's public hearing, and I hope it helps:

When?

The public hearing will start at 9:30 AM and run throughout the day, until the speaking roster is exhausted.

Where?

John Cranford Adams Playhouse, Hofstra University

Why?

The public hearing is meant to invite comments based on the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) that the Town deemed acceptable for public review on July 7. The DGEIS has a final legal burden to be both complete and correct before it is to be accepted as a Final Environmental Impact Statement.

How?

The Adams Playhouse holds a little over 1100 people, according to people I spoke to at Hofstra earlier today. There will likely be an overflow crowd, and people will be moving in and out throughout the day based on their availability and the overall progression of the hearing. Joe Ra has told me there may be some sort of mechanism for each citizen to share his/her opinion on the Lighthouse, by standing up, filling out a ballot, or something similar, while maintaining a steady flow of people.

One other big thing - any resident who wishes to speak is welcome to do so, but these will likely be secondary to the long line of politicians and other dignitaries - including NHL commissioner Gary Bettman - who will be there to support the Lighthouse in front of the media. In fact, expect at least the first hour of the hearing to consist of elected officials and dignitaries supporting the Lighthouse.

I've also been told to expect a full presentation from Charles Wang and promotional videos shot on the Lighthouse Project's behalf.

This should be an interesting one, and personally I'm thrilled to be a part of history.

Dress

I know I say this all the time, but please leave the Islanders gear at home. This is a day for Long Island, and we shouldn't make it easy for people with an agenda to stereotype us (for example, a certain Newsday reporter still can't bring herself to call Lighthouse supporters anything other than "Islanders fans").

Getting to the Adams Playhouse

I hope to see all of you at the Just Built It rally tomorrow morning. However, if you can't make it, I walked around the campus of Hofstra University to make sure I knew exactly how to do this.

So, away we go:

- Visitor parking is on the north side of Hempstead Turnpike, in the entrance that is just before the pedestrian walkway in the middle of the street. The parking field looks like this:


- Walk toward the multi-colored sculptures...


- Into the student center, where you will walk straight through to the pedestrian bridge.



- Take the pedestrian bridge over Hempstead Turnpike...


- Until you come face-to-face with Hofstra Hall on the other side. Make a right.


- Make a left when you reach the end of that walkway, facing this building:


- And you will be looking straight at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse


That's all I've got for tonight.

Out hard work is coming to fruition tomorrow, and I can't wait to be a part of history.

Please share your thoughts in comments. Petition. Email Me. Follow me on Twitter.