NASSAU COMPTROLLER BACKS LIGHTHOUSE
Weitzman: Development should be “top priority”
Howard Weitzman is the Comptroller for Nassau County. Point Blank received the following statement of support for the Lighthouse Project from his office:
“The Lighthouse Project should be the top priority of all the governments involved. Nassau County is a mature suburb that needs to find new ways of creating revenue if we are to avoid the never-ending cycle of increasing property taxes. This project would create 35,000 to 75,000 construction jobs, thousands of permanent jobs once finished, will provide a steady flow of sales and property tax revenue, and will be the central attraction Nassau currently lacks. I can not overstate the importance of this project. We simply need to get it done.” Comments.
59 Responses to NASSAU COMPTROLLER BACKS LIGHTHOUSE
Weitzman: Development should be “top priority”
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Joe says:
I agree, its been enough talk, time for action.
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JayK says:
Hey, Ajax, it’s not up to him. He was at the Denenberg press conference Saturday.
It’s up to the rest of us. I’ve now got some help, pulling together all the email addresses we’re getting at beatkate09@yahoo.com. Drop us a line there; we’re not totally sure what we’re going to do with the contacts we get, but we’re hoping to put together a big mailing list of people who either live in the Town of Hempstead, or know people in the TOH and will reach out to them to spread the word that Kate Murray must be defeated at the polls. So let’s hear from you at beatkate09@yahoo.com
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Alex Kinkead says:
Git-R-Done!
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jonw says:
CB, Did Mr. Weitzman wake up today and decide that now would be a good time to give his opinion on the LHP? Are people close to the situation feeling the urgency of Mr. Wang to get this done or make a bold desicion involving the Islander franchise?I am not reading to much into this I am just curious of the timing.
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C. Felix says:
There’s one word to describe this whole light house situation:
Farce -
Matt says:
good post CB. i really hope the lighthouse is approved before the islanders take the ice in october.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
Well … that is a good thing… Another high profile Nassau personality in government putting himself out there … I’d love to see Kate and the principals at the LHP get together and negotiate some kind of staged compromise … obviously a project of this magnitude is to large for the TOH to handle … but Wang needs a guarantee … and the Town owes it to him to give him an answer one way or another.
I think if they agree in principle to the basic premis of the Light House project they can get shovels in the ground. I think with the MTA having funds problems getting light rail to NVMC is a dream. That may be something though that stimulous money can help with … one of the priorities is fixing the transportation grid in this country.
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Macch says:
What does this mean in Lehman terms? There has been a lot of talk but no action
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AK says:
All these supposed big wigs of Nassau County have come out or are coming out in support of the project, yet some little piggy from the Town holds all the power.
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Froggy says:
This is the scary thing to me – KM has not given one indication of wanting to approve this project. She might come back with a counterproposal that Wang won’t approve but it seems unlikely that she will approve the project in a form that Wang will accept. So what is the best hope? To vote against her in November. Problem is the democrats haven’t found someone to run against her yet. Seems that this is the perfect time to unseat her. CB – any indications of where the democrats stand in this regard?
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Sorry but I see a lot of snake oil being sold on the Light House project on both sides of the aisle. The construction jobs they are talking about are temporary.
Nobody is talking about if the jobs created after the project is finished are sustainable or not. Are we talking about $12 an hour change trach can and work the front desk jobs or jobs where one can raise a family.
That’s pretty significant. The project could also be a flop like “Auto World” in Flint, Michigan.
Lets just be honest about this, Wang wants this project because he sees huge dollar signs in it. Murray is being an ass becuase she wants her palm greased. As I am also sure that Wang, who is a heavily influential businessman, has probably greased her oponents palms as well.
I think it would be much more appreciated if the Light House folks actually got into the specifics of what types of long term jobs we are talking about here. I could build a McDonalds and boast of creating jobs.
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d-man says:
#12: why is wang not allowed to make money? no one who says these things explains why. someone answer that please. why is it bad for wang to make money? want to make money? need to make money?
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Mike from Bohemia says:
#12 – A Four Star Hotel & a Convention Hall, as well as retail, plus continued work at a better coliseum…..
Restaurants, minor league baseball…
Sports Technology Center…..
There will be plenty of jobs at all levels. It doesn’t take a genious to figure that out. -
ps – no construction jobs are permanent, but this is as close as you’ll ever get – about a 6 to 10 year wave…
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Chickendirt — # 12 — They can’t identify precisely which jobs are going to be in there, but I think Rechler said it best: his properties on Long Island can’t compete with the types of jobs that are going into downtown White Plains, downtown New Brunswick, the waterfront area of Jersey City, etc. (to say nothing of Manhattan and the Metroplex in Brooklyn).
What kind of jobs are there? Not minimum-wage jobs, the way some critics so smugly seem to know are going to fill the Lighthouse. They are financial back office jobs, technology development companies, media properties, etc. All sorts of new economy type jobs that do not feel that Long Island has the type of commercial real estate that they, and their employees, desire these days.
So yes, opponents of the Lighthouse think they are just oh-so-smart because the developers can’t say precisely what companies are going in there. Believe me, we can see through that empty argument easily. The fact is that the Lighthouse will provide Long Island with one of the first areas of office space that has been so successful in other locations: hip, modern, dense, having the ability to walk to a restaurant or to an open public area at lunch, close to residences, near cultural activities, etc. Our lack of that is why we’re losing so many jobs to these other areas cited by Rechler.
Yes, we concede Wang sees big dollars in it. Were you thinking that the developers that have built up Long Island to its current point do not? Do you have a plan for redevelopment of the Coliseum site in which nobody makes any money?
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JT says:
I hope many more LI pols become vocal in their support for the Lighthouse project. It will put a lot of pressure on Kate Murray and her short-sighted colleagues.
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mrlbem says:
The current Nassau County Administration has been behind this project since Day 1. This is nothing new. The LH will aleviate a lot of the current property tax burden of Nassau County. There’s nothing underhanded about this and no ulterior motive behind the County’s support of the project. The Town, on the other hand, has by my count changed its position three times in the last few months. First, there was the appearance of maintaining a neutral position. Then there’s been the “just renovate the coliseum” stance. Then there was the “use stimulus funding” movement. Now, it’s screw the appearance of being neutral, let’s scare the citizens of our precious town. If you want to look for underhanded and ulterior motives, your search should start and end there.
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RichM says:
Just asking…..Can’t the Coliseum get renovated without the Lighthouse Project?
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RichM–it can but it won’t…Kate Murray wants that…Charles Wang etc…do not. It would be great for fans but it doesn’t do anything for his bottom line. I can’t blame him there. He wants the whole area done. As it should be. So the answer is no, it just is not going to happen. There is no reason for him to do it–if he does he loses all leverage and then the Town says sorry we don’t have time for you anymore. If he holds moving over their heads-they have to at least listen.
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Eric, thanks for clarifying that for me. Just trying to getmore informed.
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Dan from Westchester says:
Ok. . it seems the sides have been drawn up on the Lighthouse project. Kate Murray v. everyone else!
Lets hope we will all be able to look back one day on 2009 as a breakthrough year for the Isles. The year they drafted the next NHL superstar John Tavares. . And the year they worked out the deal to stay on the Island — getting the Lighthouse project started.
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Coral Springs Isle Fan says:
No sh*! sherlock. Stop talking and get it done already. Here is a great idea, why don’t you call up all parties involved and sit down together until you can all agree on this project. It would be like they do when there is a pending strike.
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Mike from Philly says:
Yadda Yadda Yadda, same talk coming from Nassau County. The TOH does not want this and personally this is getting very tiring. Either get this done or get this team in Queens!
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art says:
Rich in a word NO! The TOH is broke and why would Wang spend many millions without expecting to fill more seats! He can carry the team if the rest of the LH is making money plus a vibrant new center will create an entirely new atmosphere than the present DUMP (those are Wang’s words) and fill the new arena.
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Fist of Gillies says:
I was hoping he was a Republican. That would have been news worthy. This really isn’t.
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Sea Bass says:
“…yet some little piggy from the Town holds all the power.”
AK, you are so right she does look like a piggy!
It looks like the Lighthouse projects fate is actually going to be in the hands of us, the voters. Not anyone else. We have a golden opportunity to organize and get Kate Murray voted out. There should be no pointing fingers to the county, Wang or the town, we have the power!!!!
This election will come down to one issue, the Lighthouse. If Murray wins she will see it as a mandate to continue her parties line of no over-development if a Dem wins they will clearly be in lock step with the county. All we have to do as Islander fans is organize and mobilize to inform and persuade the TOH voters to vote against Murray. Now, whos gonna organize? -
Jon G says:
Rich M and Eric,
Eric’s right that it wont happen, but it has nothing to do with Wang. The county ownes the coliseum but can not afford to renovate it. The deal the county struck with the developers (Wang) is that the developer would renovate the coliseum if they also get to develop the land. In short, if you’re renting an apartment and the pipes need to be fixed, would you pay for it? No, you’d call the landlord. Well Nassau is the land lord, Wang just rents the coliseum…he has zero reason to pay for the renovation, it’s not his building.
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Sea Bass — we’re organizing at beatkate09@yahoo.com. Drop us a line there!! We’re putting together a list now, to help lead the charge at Election Day.
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Valentino says:
Simply renovating the dump we call NVMC means that WANG will have to throw good money after bad. Why on earth would he agree to that? Would you agree to that? Would you pay hundreds of millions of dollars of your hard earned money to fix up something that doesnt even belong to you, and above all else, end up still losing money because of a crappy lease with the town and smg?
Rediculous! No one in their right mind would do that. IF the town wants to fix the NVMC, then be my guest, they can do it on their dime, or nassau counties dime. Not WANGs. Wang has laid out enough money over the past 10 years for upkeep when it wasnt even his place to do so. Nassau county and TOH are simply riding his coat tails. He deserves the right to recoup his losses by building and financing the project. Whatever he makes will only help fund the product he puts on the ice. Wake up people. -
streit02 says:
CB how significant is this statement? Excuse my ignorance on the subject, but is Kate Murray the end all, be all with this project getting done? It seems like she is the only one who is the problem.
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IsleofNJ says:
Question to all….. Kate Murray is standing in the way of the lighthouse. We are all talking about voting her out in NOVEMBER which should be done no doubt. However, if the “deadline” for progress imposed by LH people is October (start of hockey season)…. the wheels will already be in motion for the other alternatives. I’m sure nothing would be finalized on those alternatives, but from now til there will be many precious months lost.
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Tom says:
This is no surprise. The comptroller is a democrat, ToH is republican. It’s politics. In this particular case, it’s all hot air by the Comptroller. Finding people who support the LH is easy. Getting the LH constructed is the challenge that won’t be solved.
The quicker Mr. Charles B. Wang looks at Plan B the better off the Isles & the fans are.
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Paul in Canada says:
I still don’t understand why the Town isn’t in full support of the project or, at least, hinting at support while still adhering to the process. What’s in it for Murray and the rest to not support it? There doesn’t seem to be any large group opposed to it, so it can’t be about votes at the Town level. Sure, it might look good on Nassau’s Democrats if it happens but at the Town level, wouldn’t it be wiser for Murray to also at least appear be on the bandwagon and suggest that she and her party were just as instrumental in its success? From all appearances, the TOH is thinly disguising that they do not support the Lighthouse. The only thing I can figure is the negativity has to be about not letting Suozzi land this fish and to make it an election issue. Wang and Lighhouse supporters keep saying its not fair to “demonize” Kate Murray, but from what I can tell, she and her people are willing to go against this just for political reasons that are not even at her level. Shouldn’t this be nipped in the bud now? Has she been asked if she plans on running against Suozzi and will put the Lighthouse in the middle just to be opposite? Hasn’t the recent push in America been non-partisan politics to get things done? If bad news comes in October (and no news is bad news according to Wang) how in the world does this help Murray in the polls at any level in November?
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fast4wd says:
Ya ok. This coming from a guy who is as sneaky a politician as it gets! Unfortunately this is no longer a pro or con lighthouse issue it’s just political BS! ON BOTH SIDES.
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gary9-19-22 says:
Does anyone have an in at the Federal level???
Tell me that the Obama administration wouldn’t like to say something about a multi billion privately funded construction project that is not being pushed forward due to Republican leadership…
Where is damn CNN when you need them!!! -
Nyles says:
I <3 Howard W.
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doc says:
Those so called “temporary” construction jobs will last anywhere from 3-20 years!!! That’s hardly temporary.
The Empire State building was started (first shovel in the ground) and completed (open to the public) in less than 14 months.
Just a little perspective.
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IslesHostage says:
When did Roosevelt Raceway reduce property taxes? When did the mandate of widening the Meadowbrook get done with Mitchell Field?
Answer: never. The Blighthouse will go up, people will get rich and taxpayers will see little if anything other than high traffic and congestion.
The answer is a beautification of the building and area, with future developments when the County and Town show proof they can rehab the area and not just cash their checks and call it a day. Do the Coliseum (VETERANS MEMORIAL!) and make the parking lot and building beautiful and hold true to the federal mandate on Mitchell Field (athletic field for taxpayers!) and whatever Wang wants to do on his land, he can. Otherwise, spare me the trouble of navigating through NINE parking garages before a game, taking 30 minutes to get into the area and an hour to get out the way it’s set up. There are better ideas but Wang wants money.
For giving us Pock, Milbury, Overspeed, Yashin and DP’s contracts and years of grief, why should he get it?
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StevieL says:
Be prepared for a team like the Sound Tigers to play at NVMC full time in a couple of years. The LHP is never going to get done as is right now! Expect some announcement from Murray about how much the TOH loves the Isles and all they are trying to do to come to some compromise here in the near term because when they leave Nassau, she is going to step up and state that they tried everything to keep the Isles and Wang is the villian! These are desperate times for this franchise!To buy some time, someone should figure out a way to break that SMG agreement, which will be the real reason the Isles leave LI.
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Jon G-I love your analogy! Let’s hope that we don’t need to worry about this in 6 months!
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StevieL #41: First of all, if the Islanders move to Kansas City, it is likely that Wang would move his minor league team fairly close to them; that has been the trend, though it isn’t 100%. Having been to Omaha four times, I can easily see the Sound Tigers moving to Omaha, being close to KC. (Beautiful new arena, downtown).
Secondly, why do you assume that a minor league team would leave a fairly modern arena like Harbor Yards to play in a dump? It’s a dump no matter how you look at it. The idea that the AHL is going to be the salvation of the NVMC is crazy.
If Kate Murray blocks the Lighthouse and the Islanders leave, one of two things will happen: to keep it open, the county will pick up losses of $5 million or more per year, compared to $1 to $1.5 million per year now(highly, highly unlikely); or the county will close it down, and put a big attractive chain link fence around the entire property. That’s it; there are no other options for the arena in a post-Isles world.
Join us at beatkate09@yahoo.com!!
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nlk says:
Isleshostage #39 — No one is going to redo the Coliseum without the rest of the development. You continue to push it, and it’s not going to happen. I can’t understand people who keep hammering on this, like it’s really an option. It’s not an option!
On your other points: I think that most people would probably be able to figure out their way to the exit without driving through all 9 garages.
Are you saying if the Islanders had been more successful on the ice, you’d be a Lighthouse supporter?
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NYI FAN says:
Wang was on WFAN this past week. When asked about the traffic problem that a new LH would possibly create, he said that as it is now, the only sellouts are Isle-Ranger games & most people arrive & leave 30 minutes before & after the game; that is why there is so much traffic. (Totally has no clue)His rational is that once the LH is built, there will be places that will deter the crowd & dissipate the initial flow of traffic. He went on to say that they have studied over 250 surrounding intersections. He did not give ANY SOLUTION to the traffic problem & as I see it , is the only major problem that is holding this back.
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Nik#44 – Ugh….to get into games, there are 9 parking garages. What are the odds of getting into one and parking on the first try if they fill up during home games in a timely manner? What if you’re rerouted through several?
And what is wrong with wanting a scaled down version that makes money…..of a new Coliseum with SMG gone (no longer taking all parking, all concessions, 2/3 of ticket revenue from the booth, 90% of advertising) that makes money with zero buildings around it……isn’t the point to make a profit and have a refurbed building? Then if one can make a profit by ridding itself of SMG alone……and make a NICE profit with a refurbed arena and more seats on top of it…..why go ALL or NOTHING on this project? The arena is approved. The profit is there if Wang gets out of bed with SMG (and D’Amato), so why not settle for a profit and healthy team instead of going whole development or nothing?
Because Wang is not here because of hockey and never has been.
And no, I would not support massive glut with no remediation of traffic concerns (Wang only pledged $25M for the traffic/water/etc. outside his palace) which would make driving in the area a nightmare. Not to mention no one cares about urbanizing LI until it’s too late, do they?
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NYI Fan…..good points and I hope you can help us with this Chris Botta – what solutions are even possible when you introduce that many people into an area already bad with traffic? I see none unless they introduce a railroad link or the atomic disassembling of people by Scotty on the bridge is invented. Beam me to the game, Scotty!
But seriously, is there any information about this being even discussed? Like I said, 20+ years and zero work on expanding the Meadowbrook to help with the Mitchell Field project. What if there’s still nothing done after this mess is erected?
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There is no way there will be a profit on just a refurbished building, let alone a NICE profit. It’s laughable. Economically, a stand-alone arena does not work. Tell me where there is a stand alone arena in the middle of the suburbs that makes an economic profit. I’m sure everyone wants to hang out in Uniondale with nothing else to do.
Care about LI before it’s too late? This project has been in the works for 7 years! It’s not Wang’s fault that it has taken local government this long to act on it.
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Wang did not bring up his own study that said that average rush hour traffic in the area would bring in an average of 3,000 more cars into & out of the area once his LH is built. With no built-in plans to improve the existing Parkways nearby, road rage will be the Nassau DA’s new torch song!!
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#46 – As it has been said umpteen times, nobody offered to develop the coliseum building only (except Kate Murry who wants to do it with stimulus money….moron). Wang has been flexible, has scaled it down once, and is willing to negotiate it further, if only the town would talk to him.
Just how many more times do you have to be told that noone has offered to develop it on those terms. It is not an option. What part of that don’t you understand! -
NYI Fan: One road that everyone is forgetting is Charles Lindbergh Blvd., which is totally underutilized now. I spoke to the consultants at the Marriott meeting, and it’s a key part of the transportation plan.
Look, talking about it taking a long time to get out the Lighthouse after a game, and therefore, we shouldn’t do the Lighthouse, is ridiculous. What arena or stadium gets out quickly? You ever leave a Jet or Giant game? Try to get out of the Bronx after a Yankee game? Depart Westbury Music Fair after the show is done? If we’re now demanding that the Lighthouse project has such smoothly operating traffic that there are no backups after the game, why don’t we just ask Wang to cure cancer while we’re at it?
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One last thing and then I’m done…promise…promise…
NYI Fan and IslesHostage: I hope you will at least admit that in saying that there will be traffic problems that you are conceding there will be demand for the office space, the residences, etc. So you’re implicitly acknowledging that the project will be successful in that sense.
Because obviously, if nobody goes to the office space, nobody goes to the plazas, nobody lives there, etc., traffic won’t be a problem. Right?
So we supporters are glad you agree with us that there is high demand for this sort of project on Long Island! Welcome to the group!
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The assumption is that Wang will fill the residences and offices, but cute try FWIW. The Lighthouse will draw people from newness, yes, so the demand will be there. The need? Sure, tons of businesses are lining up to the tax burdens of Nassau, and tons of businesses are dying to have a center in Uniondale NY. That’s a given.
It’s mindnumbing. And yes, looking at the numbers, the removal of SMG alone combined with decent attendance makes the Isles profitable. Add in the seats and playoff revenue and it’s very profitable. Sure…..not to the extent of a full blown small city, but who cares? That’s Wang’s problem. He already has the Marriott to turn a profit. Correct? Should he have everything or give us nothing? No. He’s not going to budge much further (as hinted in post 49……citing Wang being flexible in that he removed the tower and put in two small highrises).
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JayK, nice try!!I would never join a group that would have me for a member!!:) Lindberg Blvd? Again,nice try, this road is a local loop that begins & ends around the coliseum. My point is from a residents’ POV, (I am a former resident)something that is missing from this blog. The fan from out of town, doesn’t care one I-oata about the concerns of nearby residents & judging from the Draft pick poll, it seems that about 900 or so die hard fans (maybe 300 or so that actually live in the TOH)do not even equal enough votes to influence a project as huge as the LH. Nevertheless, my views on the building of the LH are evolving, I no longer have the staunch view that made me flee EM, since I no longer will be affected by the mess this will (IMHO) create, I take the Senator Kerry position. i.e. I was once against it before I was in favor of it!
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Ithurts says:
Jay K., You make great points that are logical so don’t try too hard to change the minds of the one or two fans out of thousands that don’t understand what all of this is about. I mean seriously, I’m laughing so hard right now reading this “traffic” argument! It started out that this handful of Wang haters had a lot of arguments against the lighthouse, even going so far as to support Kate Murray. Now fast forward a few months and their arguments have been destroyed by common sense and their Kate Murray love has been crushed by her idiotic actions. And now they’re holding on to a splintered piece of driftwood in the middle of the ocean screaming, “what about the traffic”! Oh noooooooo the traffic, that’s a perfect reason to boycott a project that will obviously benefit the entire area and their hockey team. Yes, the traffic, great argument.
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#52, Wang said on national t.v. that he is willing to compromise further but Murray won’t talk to him. We all know Murray won’t talk to him because we have all the evidence we need. She won’t even show up to town meetings when Wang is there. Balls in your court bud. You say Wang won’t compromise eventhough he said he would. What’s your explanation? , You say the removal of SMG and better attendance numbers will make NVMC profitable but you know that, #1, it will be impossible to remove the lease, and #2 the isles don’t even sell out their games in playoff years. I’m wondering why you would even bring that up as a solution when it is an impossibility. Very lazy argument there in my opinion.
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talk is cheap! nobody is even running against Murray yet, what kind of campaign could they be forming to oust her? I think this l;ighthouse deal is off the table folks, we are going to have to relocate this team. Queens is probably a pipe dream. Based on the WFAN interview, you can tell Wang is getting frustrated by the whole ordeal.
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michael says:
TAKE THAT KATE MURRAY! bitch..
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Robby D says:
This is going to happen. Then best thing to occur is that we draft JT. That will add even more pressure to get this project started. It’s in the NHL’s best interest to keep this metro rivalry strong and putting a legit star on the Island would do that. Katie Murray is eventually going to fold like a cheap tent from the pressure. Why don’t all the Islander fans who live in the Town of Hempstead threaten to vote her out of office when the time comes? Write letters to her office. There is no way 1 person can stop this project. It can’t happen.
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GilliesKO says:
Got a nice thank you letter from Suozzi after I voiced my support for the project in an email. No such letter from Murray’s camp.
Stop talking and DO something then!