UPDATE (3:15 PM): The meeting will be held at the Theodore Roosevelt Legislative and Executive Building, Ceremonial Chamber, tomorrow. The lease includes a commitment for the New York Islanders to remain at the renovated Coliseum through July 31, 2030.
Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi has called a press conference for noon tomorrow to announce a lease agreement between the County and the Lighthouse Development Group. This comes 2 days in advance of Charles Wang's stated October 3 deadline for certainty, and an agreement would mean that all future approvals leading up to ground-breaking would be in the domain of Kate Murray and the Town of Hempstead.
I have not yet received the media alert, and I will post details when I get them. Let There Be Light(house) will be there covering the event, and I hope to get some answers on my questions:
- How long are the Islanders committed to remain in the renovated Nassau Coliseum?
- How long is the lease on the land?
- How many of the Town of Hempstead's requirements are included in the agreement?
- Will the parameters change if the size of the project changes?
- How soon can the County Legislature vote on the lease, and is it assured of passage?
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Nick,
ReplyDeleteBesides Wangs' threat, why wouldn't the TOH just sit on this decision until after they get re elected in November? Which, btw, is a certainty. Other than Wang talking to a new city/potential buyer every other day and it showing up on the back cover of Newsday, what else would put any pressure on Murray and co. to actually cave?
-Big Van Vader
BVV- I think in some ways you answered your own question. The risk of Wang making a deal somewhere else, and the bad PR in Newsday.
ReplyDeleteIf they are going to approve it I think it is likely to come before election day to assure a bigger landslide win.
On the other hand, if they are not going to approve it then they will surely wait until after election day.
Other than that, just general pressure like this blog, Botta, etc., seem to be the only public ways to keep the pressure on. I have heard about some voters giving Murray and Santino a hard time when they see them campaigning at the train station in the morning. I hope there is more going on behind the scenes.
I am a little upset to see that the commitment is only to 2030, 15 years past the end of the current lease. I can see TOH insisting on more.
ReplyDeleteI saw the Murray people at Valley Stream station. I gave them a hard time, BIG time. So did one guy I work with at a North shore station. As should we ALL.
ReplyDelete-Big Van Vader
I joined Santino's fan page on Facebook hoping that, next time he is at Lynbrook train station, I will know about it. TWO people wrote to me on Facebook talking about how great Santino is. I was so surprised, I dont even know what to say back to them!
ReplyDelete