POINT BLANK TALKS TO THE LI BUSINESS NEWS
Lighthouse, Wang, Murray and how the story ends
David Reich-Hale, who broke the story over the weekend of Kate Murray attending her first Lighthouse meeting on Tuesday, interviewed me last night. Here’s his Polit Bureau blog for the Long Island Business News. While I’m a bit of a rambling mess in the interview, I do answer a question often asked on this blog: how will the Lighthouse saga end? Comments on arena here, draft in next thread.
34 Responses to POINT BLANK TALKS TO THE LI BUSINESS NEWS
Lighthouse, Wang, Murray and how the story ends
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Defensewins says:
Chris, I see that you, in the end, think this will get done, even if it is on a smaller scale. With that stated, in your opinion, do you think it will be approved by Wang’s deadline, or do you think Wang will have to/be willing to push back his approval deadline? I mean with Murray’s interest in her campaign, I am not sure expecting an approval within what, 4 months now(?), is logical.
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rob says:
it says that the county wanted to make it so big ? thats interesting
( savetheisles.webs.com )
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Chris Mc says:
I didn’t see any rambling CB. Your answers had a lot more substance than Ms. Murrays. And I hope David wasn’t referring to me about Marray being given the questions beforehand. I reread my post and it did kind of sound like that, but what I was alluding to was that Murray’s camp probably anticipated most of the questions and prepped her on how she was to answer them. I don’t want David to think I was questioning the integrity of the interview because I was most certainly not.
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matt says:
good job chris…i always think why doesnt the county condemn the lease??…makes no sense not to…
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Way to go, CB!!! Thank you for setting people straight on some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding this project.
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Bryan says:
Election Day, November 3rd. Everyone get out to the polls
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Smith31 says:
CB, I am suprised you think something will eventually get done. That’s not what I would have guessed reading this blog for the last several months. BTW, what do we have to do to get you to continue writing this blog next year. In my 25 years as a die-hard fan, this is the best read/website we fans have had!
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The PolishPrince says:
Chris…from your mouth to TOH’s ears. I hope you are right and at the end of the day this gets done.
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doc says:
David Reich Hale:
You’re saying that PB readers sarcastistically asked you if the questions you asked Kate Murray were given beforehand???
That wasn’t sarcasm…!
You had no problem asking Botta if he thinks that eventually the deal gets done… but you didn’t think of asking KATE MURRAY THE SAME QUESTION???
The only thing Islander fans were looking for that YOU did not deliver was ONE legitimate question that hadn’t already been asked by ANYONE in the media yet!
You failed to deliver.
DOC
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Noomz says:
seems odd Murray is suddenly planning to attend her first LHP meeting after missing 7 straight with no explanation.
And on the same Tuesday she previously scheduled an appearance in (McElroy’s) Garden City – an event surely to be covered by the Garden City weekly community paper. Is she hoping to avoid bad press knowing Lighthouse supporters & McElroy supporters will be waiting for her at the Garden City Public Library that evening?
How long ago was this 10am Lighthouse meeting scheduled? The timing of these 2 events is extraordinary considering Murray has wiped Lighthouse meetings off her ToH calendar.
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19 Isle in NJ 22 says:
I didn’t comment on the previous thread regarding the Kate Murray interview basically because I shared similar senitments, and I wasn’t going to pile on David Reich-Hale.
I work in the media, and when a politician is being interviewed it can be walking on egg shells. I see politicians every day sitting on camera sometimes with their mic open ready to be interviewed and sure … sometimes they are handed a “prep” sheet to get a preview on the subject matter … I’ve seen them refuse certain questions … I’ve seen them pick their nose and ask the director if a certain question can be posed to match their talking points … I’m not going to guess what happens in print media … I think DR-H did a fine job asking the questions … but lack of a “Tim Russett” type follow-up allowed Murray to “broadcast” her inconsistancies and misinformation … CB in contrast had much more texture and CB cleared a lot of the fog that a casual reader with little information would have been subject to.
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Ben says:
Politics – plain and simple. CB, I know you have sources and you have your views but too much of future of the project is in too many hands with the projects future in the hands of those decision-makers that stay behind closed doors, fulfilling their personal agendas.
I think the day we see the Lighthouse Project is the day we see the bridge across the sound to Connecticut!
Hey, If I’m wrong, the first beer is on me in the newly renovated facility at the first home game! (soda for the kids, of course) But I don’t think I’m too far off on this one.
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VALENTINO says:
We should be thankful that we have CB to communicate the facts to us and keep us well informed.
The sad thing is that if you dont know CB personally or read his blog religiously, you probably dont know what is really happening with the lighthouse or have misinformation.
This kind of information, these facts need to get out to more than just islander fans.
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Dino says:
This is the ending we can all see……Come October time here it will be pretty depressing with nothing good happening once that deadline passes…..Charles will prob threaten to move us scare everyone….TOH wont budge…then LAST MIN……deal just to take years off everyones lives…..
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Noomz (12): I agree that it is odd, but I look at it this way- if Kate Murray woke up deciding to do her job and work for the will of the people, then my problem with her will have essentially evaprated. Not that I think that is whats happening, but it is to the project and its advocates’ advantage to support and work with anything positive that takes place. This is why IMO it is better for people who support this project to focus on the overall objective, which is not being down on Kate Murray herself but being up on the work that we want our elected officials to accomplish.
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hathead68 says:
CB, it would be great if this interview were published in Newsday, or if Newsday, heaven forbid, actually interviewed you. You are the only one who actually has a clue and sets the record straight on the many misconceptions that are out there. Is there any way to get your voice out there to the general public? This is HUGE and LIers need to understand the facts. The short segments on WFAN by you and also by Mr. Wang were good, but not enough.
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I am no fan of Kate Murray’s “intentional” flow of mis-information and evaisive nature on the subject of the Light House Project … but where I do acknowledge some sort of respect for the process is that I believe the town is moving along quickly, even with their smoke screens which I believe is intentional.
In doing some research on the whole NYS SEQRA (which is still fairly a new law) process … the average filing to shovel in the ground is 36-40 months … now perhaps this is because the first projects that were effected by this law were the pioneers / guinea pigs of this process and the TOH has learned from other’s mistakes … but it also should be noted that NYC economic development was very proactive with it’s SEQRA process involving Willet’s Point to make sure it covered all bases. Maybe the relationship between the LH developers and the TOH is dissimilar … but that should be pointed out.
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Newsday is amazingly silent on this HUGE nassau county / TOH issue. Little to no coverage. Little to no education of the parties involved or the issues involved. Little to no reporting of the impact of keeping or losing the islanders and coliseum’s only tenant and what it means to the CITIZENS of long island.
How can you not jump to conclusions that MSG has something to do with this. Perception is often reality.
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ME says:
In the end it will not get done is my opinion. Murray will win re-election. Then she will officially give the thumbs down to the project or scale it back significantly enough for Wang to say no that is too much scale back and she will then use that to her advantage and claim that she approved the project but Wang was greedy and wanted more.
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Ann Aquarian says:
Good interview, CB.
There is no reason why the area around the Coliseum should not be developed. When I’ve been to hockey & baseball games at other arenas & stadiums, there were always people there before & after the games hanging out at bars, restaurants, & shops. The Lighthouse project would provide the same opportunity to Isles fans, & give the college kids somewhere to go when they aren’t in class.
The Lighthouse project will flourish & generate a good deal of revenue. Build it.
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JD says:
I’d really like to see what Charles Wang has planned for an October surprise if this Lighthouse face-off continues to go nowhere. I don’t mean that sarcastically…you don’t spend the money that he has and not have a good contingency plan. I really hope it involves Suffolk County…fingers crossed!
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IslesPassion21 says:
Love the fact that Botta’s out there, in the political arena, mixin’ it up…We need to keep the dialogue going and keep the pressure on Murray and the ToH…
Lets Go Islanders!!!
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big dally mac says:
Murray’s finally going to attend one of the meeting, eh. Must be election time is it?
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Obs says:
Of course Murray will start to show at these events. It’s an election year!! Vote her out!!
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Strummer's Army says:
Chris I agree with the ending you wrote but I don’t understand why it has to get so ugly in the meantime?
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MSA says:
@21 Considering the advantages that would be gained by Dolan if the Isles leave, I think we should be thankful for whatever coverage we get in Newsday. Logan is fair, and the Rags have all to gain, if we leave. I know my generation would probably never support the Rags, but younger fans ones will forget the Dynasty, and everything else, if we leave…
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The fact that Murray is using past failures to get anything done as an excuse to take forever and a day to ever get anything done with the LHP is transparent…
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Is there a connection somewhere/somehow between Dolan and Murray? If someone has the time – were they friends in school? related? It seems to fit that her actions would only help Dolan in exchange for campaign donations ???
Hmmm, I wouldn’t be surprised and sure fits nicely. One republican helping another. . .
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I hate to agree with it but DOC is absolutly right, those were great questions for Kate Murray. We already know how CB stands in all this. I not saying the interview was a waste but those are the questions we have been calling up Murrays office to ask for months now.
We need our media to do their jobs.
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Marc from Troy says:
What Valentino (15) said. Why Wang, Rechler, & Co haven’t yet secured the services of a PR company to get out the facts and to clear up the misconceptions surrounding this project is simply beyond me. Despite what that liar Kate Murray says, getting Islander fans educated on this subject isn’t the problem. The rest of the general public needs such education starting right around yesterday. Then maybe someone will actually call out Murray publicly on the BS she keeps spouting.
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Willis says:
I have to agree with the sentiments that the facts are not getting out to the general public as much as they should be, but I think that will change in the coming months with the elections coming up.
The average homeowner/voter who doesn’t have an Islanders connection is not going to go to the LighthouseLI meetings because they trust that their elected officials will “do the right thing” in the end, whatever it may be.
It is only when it gets ugly that people will start to take notice. At that point there really needs to be a serious push to educate by the Lighthouse group/developers.
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#32, I too would like to know why Wang and Rechler haven’t hired a PR firm to get the word out. So far all I see are bloggers and Isles fans trying to make a difference with no thanks from Wang or the developers achknowledgments. Does he know about the “movement” we are currently trying to get going by our selves on the http://www.Lettherebelight(house) blog???
How bout a thank you for our steadfast dedication to the worst team in the NHL and how about a little help?!?!
I feel like the fans who are behind the scenes, beating our LHP drums are being left out to dry.
What’s the deal with Wangs lack of PR for this major endeavor to help the Isles stay and help Long Islands young people stay???
I’m serious here, we need the Isles to get behind the most passionate fans in the NHL! I’m obviously behind Wanger but my precieved lack of passion from the ownership is disturbing.
CB, why doesn’t Nassau County condemn the lease with SMG? There was talk of this 9-10 years ago, and with there only being 6 years left, I would think it is a less costly option than it was at that time. It IS within the county’s right to do so – of course someone would have to bankroll that, and I would think Wang would be open to it if it helped move things along.