Not With a Bang, But a Whimper....
13 Comments - 01 Aug 2011
Tonight, we can officially project that the new arena referendum has failed, raising serious questions about the future of the New York Islanders hockey team and, more importantly, Nassau County as a whole.  Overwhelming support from hockey fans and trade unions ran into a buzzsaw of misinformation and anti-tax fervor that was simply too much to overcome. In hindsight, this was quite poss...

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Some Historical Perspective on Sports Facility Referenda (and Plan Z??)
2 Comments - 01 Aug 2011
In the last hours before the polls open, I thought would try to bring some historical perspective to bear on sports facility referenda in the America and perhaps speculate as to a way forward if things don't go well tomorrow. First, a personal note. Islanders fans are mostly immune to the abuse our team receives in the media. However, I have found the lead up to the referendum particularly har...

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Monday, August 3, 2009

Let's Stop Shaving the Bears


Public Hearing is TOMORROW

I'll be back later today with something more meaty, but I wanted to share this quick thought with you.

My favorite business thinker, marketing guru Seth Godin, wrote a fantastic blog post today that got me thinking about the Lighthouse. Godin referenced an old Japanese Public Service Announcement (now sadly lost to copyright restrictions) in which a girl shaved a bear so the bear could deal with global warming.

Godin rightly points out that shaving the bears is a quick solution, but it doesn't in any way address the root problems. In the same way, Long Island has been hemorrhaging jobs, residents, and reputation for decades. Cosmetic changes to downtown areas or a smattering of apartments here and there will not deal with the underlying causes for Long Island's decline. The Lighthouse is a perfect catalyst.

Unless we do our part and push for bold action, Long Island will just keep shaving the bears, oblivious to the gathering storm. We must not let that happen; the Lighthouse has to go forward as the starting point for a new Long Island.

Discussions on opponents and Garden City continue in the next two threads.

I'm hoping to have something later today on the nuts and bolts of the hearing. In the meantime, please check out Chris Botta's excellent primer and the agreement proposed by my friend B.D. Gallof.

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

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