Donald Trump speaks at Grumman Studios in Bethpage on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 (Long Island Press photo)
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Former President Donald Trump has scheduled a rally at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale on Wednesday as campaign season enters the final weeks before Election Day, the Republican candidate’s campaign announced.
The rally plans were released on Sept. 11, a day after Trump faced Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris in a debate that aired on WABC-TV — a debate in which Harris suggested everyone go to Trump’s rallies to witness supporters leave early out of boredom.
“Nassau County has also felt the dangerous effects of Kamala Harris’ open border bloodbath,” Trump’s campaign posted online while inviting supporters to attend the rally. “The flood of illegal immigrants into nearby ‘sanctuary,’ New York City has unleashed crime and chaos into their community.”
The rally is the third Trump has held on Long Island in his three bids for the White House. During the 2016 campaign, he held rallies in Bethpage and Patchogue, but did not return in 2020 before he was unseated by Democratic President Joe Biden, who is not seeking a second term.
“Anthony D’Esposito must be in an awful lot of trouble if he’s bringing Donald Trump’s abortion-banning, billionaire-loving, autocrat-enabling, incoherent circus to Nassau County,” Battleground New York said in a statement, referring to congressman who represents the district in which the coliseum is located. “We’re looking forward to seeing what kind of bizarre mess Trump leaves for D’Esposito to clean up after.”
The rally is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, with doors opening at 3 p.m.
The Nassau County Legislature voted Monday night 19-0 to approve the transfer of the Nassau Coliseum lease to Las Vegas Sands.
A second vote of 18-1 declared the Legislature the lead agency for the environmental review that would pave the way for Sands to have development rights to the property. Las Vegas Sands has proposed to build a $4 billion casino/resort on the 70-acre Uniondale site.
This environmental review was required in a ruling by State Supreme Court Justice Sarika Kapoor in February. The term of the lease is 27 years with three, five-year options, the same as the previous lease held by Nassau Live Center LLC, the former operator of the Coliseum.
The transfer of the Coliseum lease comes amid an ongoing battle between the county and Hofstra University, which won a lawsuit last year that claimed the county’s Planning Commission had violated the state’s Open Meetings Law by not providing a proper public hearing on the lease transfer and failed to give a “hard look” when considering the project’s environmental impact. Judge Kapoor ruled that the initial transfer of the Coliseum lease to Sands in May 2023 was improper and voided the lease.
Las Vegas Sands has invested a fortune in preparation for its proposed development, including a $54 million payment to the county, $241 million to Nassau Live Center LLC the former leaseholder to the Coliseum property, and millions more in its lobbying effort to secure a casino license from the state. The license bid from Sands is among several proposals seeking one of the three downstate casino licenses the state will be awarding. Sands has said that it will still develop a resort and entertainment complex on the site even if it isn’t awarded a casino license.
On July 22, several labor groups and business leaders held a rally outside the Nassau County Executive Building in Mineola to urge the Legislature to approve the lease transfer, claiming that it was needed to save the jobs of more than 400 union workers at the Coliseum.
An opposition group, Say No to the Casino Civic Association, which held a press conference at county offices in Mineola before the vote, has called on state officials to disqualify Las Vegas Sands from consideration for one of the casino licenses for “repeated failures to follow the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) and site selection guidelines,” it wrote in a written statement. It added that “If the county leadership truly cares about the Coliseum jobs, they can simply enter into a management agreement with an operator to run the Coliseum until the future of the site is fully resolved, or until new leadership develops a vision for the Nassau Hub that does not include a predatory casino in the heart of our community.”
However, many in the area’s business community and labor organizations were in support of the lease transfer, as well as the Sands proposed development.
“This is a once in a generation opportunity to finally redevelop the Nassau Hub and support new job creation, economic activity, and opportunities for small businesses,” Matt Cohen, president and CEO of the Long Island Association said via email. “Long Island should roll out the welcome mat for international companies that want to invest multiple billions of dollars to revitalize our region and be a committed community partner.”
Matthew Aracich, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, said today’s vote on the lease transfer is about securing and protecting careers for over 400 people who work at the coliseum. “Approving the lease for the Sands means they will be able to continue to provide for their families, and that the coliseum will continue to be able operate.”
A court ruling may have thrown a wrench into the $4 billion plan to develop a casino resort on the Nassau Coliseum property in Uniondale.
In the decision made Thursday, State Supreme Court Justice Sarika Kapoor voided the property’s lease agreement between Las Vegas Sands and Nassau County in a lawsuit brought by Hofstra University.
Kapoor ruled that Nassau County’s Planning Commission had violated the state’s Open Meetings Law by not providing a proper public hearing on the lease transfer and failed to give a “hard look” when considering the project’s environmental impact. She ordered that the Planning Commission’s April 27 recommendation to approve the lease transfer to Sands be annulled.
Kapoor kicked the matter backed to the Planning Commission and the Nassau Legislature “to conduct a proper public hearing” and ordered the county to issue a positive SEQRA declaration in preparation of a new environmental impact statement on the proposed development.
“We appreciate the court’s thoughtful ruling and the court’s granting of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs to Hofstra incurred in connection with several of the claims,” Hofstra President Susan Poser said in a written statement. “The court recognized the public’s right to participate in decision-making about the current redevelopment plan for the Nassau Hub. We look forward to contributing to the planning process and advocating for the use of the Hub in ways that will best contribute to our thriving community, while protecting against environmental and other harms.”
Hofstra has long opposed having a casino on property adjacent to its campus. The university filed the Article 78 lawsuit on April 18 issuing a statement that alleged the county Planning Commission “failed to properly notice and conduct its meetings for consideration of the transfer of the lease for the Nassau Hub and surrounding public property from its current leaseholder to Las Vegas Sands for the development of a casino.”
Las Vegas Sands has already spent millions in preparation for its proposed development, including a $54 million payment to the county, $241 million to Nassau Live Center LLC the former leaseholder to the Coliseum property, and millions more in its lobbying effort to secure a casino license from the state. The license bid from Sands is among several proposals seeking one of the three downstate casino licenses the state will be awarding.
If the state does grant Sands a casino license, Nassau will get $25 million of the state Gaming Commission’s minimum $500 million license fee. In addition, the county will get a $5 million annual rent payment for the Coliseum property, which increases to $10 million upon the start of casino operations or the three-year anniversary of the casino license award. The lease agreement had mandated that Sands contribute $2 million a year for a Community Benefits Program, which later increases to $4 million annually.
Sands has said the project will go forward as a mixed-use complex without gaming if the sought-after license isn’t awarded. In fact, the now voided 99-year lease agreement stipulates that a non-casino development must include up to 500 units of housing, a 5-star hotel and an entertainment venue with at least 3,600 seats.
More than 300 small businesses attended a “procurement academy ” and resource fair at Nassau Community College Thursday to learn how to do business with Las Vegas Sands at its proposed $4 billion casino/entertainment resort for the Nassau Coliseum property in Uniondale.
At the event, Norbert Riezler, vice president and chief procurement officer for Sands Corp., offered insights for those hoping to secure contracts with the organization. Experts were also on hand to discuss MWBE certification and other resources available for small businesses.
Frank Camarano Jr., president of the Chambers of Commerce, said in a statement that the academy provided a “critical opportunity for Long Island businesses to capitalize on this once-in-a-lifetime development in our region.”
“Preparation is key for these small businesses – and we want to ensure that when the project moves forward, none of our local businesses are left out,” he said.
Riezler said in a statement that the academy “reflects our commitment to small businesses on Long Island. We believe it is essential that the local economy benefit and grow with the Sands New York development.”
“As we pursue the approval process, we are committed to making sure that local businesses are part of our plans and true partners in this transformational project,” he added.
Attendees had the opportunity to attend breakout rooms for food/beverage and operating services, design and construction, technology, and professional services (i.e. benefits, marketing, labor, transportation, etc.). Sands procurement executives in each industry and offered insights and answers to people’s questions.
Las Vegas Sands plans to purchase the long-term lease of the Nassau Coliseum site to develop a “multi-billion-dollar” casino and entertainment project at the Uniondale property.
Sands, which has been lobbying heavily to snag one of the three downstate casino licenses, will partner with RXR on the planned project, as RXR remains the master developer of the Coliseum site. But Sands will now take the lead on the project which will center around the casino.
Sources say Sands will be purchasing the Long Island Marriott next door to the Coliseum site, as part of its overall casino plan.
Rendering of casino project proposed for the Nassau Coliseum site. / Courtesy of Sands
The resort components of the proposed redevelopment would include “outdoor community spaces, four- and five-star hotel rooms and a world-class live performance venue honoring the long legacy of live music at the Nassau Coliseum,” according to a Sands statement. The plan includes “celebrity chef restaurants, experiential events and venues and flexible meeting and convention space, including ballrooms,” Sands says.
The actual casino is planned to occupy less than 10 percent of the project’s total square footage.
“Our company’s track record of driving significant economic benefits to the communities in which we operate and the meaningful relationships and partnerships we have created in each of those communities gives us a unique perspective on what it takes to develop transformative tourism destinations that positively impact the local community,” Robert Goldstein, Sands chairman and CEO said in the statement. “Based on that experience, we strongly believe Long Island can be home to one of the region’s great entertainment and hospitality developments.”
Goldstein added that the proposed project would produce “tens of millions of dollars” in annual tax revenue along with thousands of union jobs in both construction and operations.
Scott Rechler, RXR CEO and chairman, said that Long Islanders want a global renowned entertainment destination that creates well-paying jobs and new opportunities at the Nassau Hub.
“But the challenge for turning this vision into reality has always been the commercial viability of a site encumbered by a nearly obsolete half-century-old arena,” Rechler said in the statement. “The plan envisioned by Sands is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create the kind of world-renowned entertainment and hospitality destination that has been sought after by Long Islanders.”
RXR had pitched a $1.5 billion mixed-use redevelopment of the 70-acre Coliseum site, but that was put on hold once casino plans heated up. Even if Sands does not get the sought-after casino license, the project will go forward as a hospitality and entertainment complex without gaming.
The state began accepting proposals this month for three full-fledged casinos in the New York metro area, though it’s not yet clear where they will be located. Many observers expect one will likely go to the existing Empire City Casino in Yonkers and another will be sited at Resorts World in Queens. Casino groups have pitched sites like Hudson Yards and Times Square in Manhattan, Coney Island in Brooklyn and Willets Point in Queens, among others.
