Nassau, Sands officials announce agreement

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“workforce housing” component regardless of whether or not Sands obtains a gaming license, though there will not be a housing project or development.

If Sands is unable to obtain the gaming license, Blakeman said, Sands would still have to pay the $54 million to Nassau County and construct other aspects of the proposal aside from the casino. The community benefits Sands will provide, he said, would decrease if the gaming license is not obtained.

Blakeman also said the fate of the Nassau Coliseum would be in the hands of Las Vegas Sands, though he said he informed company officials of its’ significance to Long Island, specifically Nassau County.

“I’ve told them that I think the Coliseum is iconic,” Blakeman said. “I think that it’s a beautiful building…I’m hopeful that they find a use for the Coliseum, but again, that’s going to be within their discretion.”

The process leading up to the agreement included a handful of public meetings where residential input was taken into consideration. While attendees at Wednesday’s press conference cheered for the progress made, there have been some groups and entities that have opposed the casino, including Hofstra University, which neighbors the Nassau Hub.

Hofstra filed a lawsuit against the Nassau County Planning Commission last week, claiming a meeting they held surrounding the lease trans- fer violated executive session rules by improperly meeting, prematurely voted to close public comment and held a meeting before the lease negotiations were completed.

Hofstra has opposed the entertainment center proposed by Las Vegas Sands at the site of the Coliseum. A letter from Hofstra trustees published online in March said potential “traffic congestion, crime, economic harm to local business” would have a negative impact on the school community, which is directly adjacent to the area.

“The Nassau Hub is an entirely inappropriate location for a casino,” officials said. “There are other locations in and around New York City to site a casino that are not in such proximity to multiple educational institutions where so many young people live and learn.”

Despite Hofstra’s opposition to the plans, a pair of other local colleges have expressed support for the idea, with Nassau County Community College and Long Island University announcing they will aid Sands in its plans.

The partnership between the two colleges will allow students to advance their two-year associate’s degree into a four-year bachelor’s degree, officials said. The program, according to Sands officials, would be beneficial to graduates seeking to pursue a variety of hospitality roles.

A nonpartisan group of Nassau County residents called “Say No To The Casino Civic Association” has also been vocal in their opposition to the Sands proposal, citing concerns of decreased property values, gambling addictions in the young community and crime rates.