CHARLES WANG: NOTHING DOING ON LIGHTHOUSE
Owner says no talks since last Town hearing
8:00 pm - Charles Wang said tonight what this blog and many others have reported for months: there has been no communication between the Lighthouse Development Corp. and Hempstead officials since the last public hearing in September. There also have been no discussions with Nassau County since the election.
“October 3rd, I said that was the date,” Wang told Howie Rose on MSG Network during the first intermission. “There has been communication with Town, County or anyone else. We’ll look at all our options. Our hope and our love is Nassau County, Long Island.”
Wang added for the umpteenth time, “I have an application to the Town. Tell me yes or tell me know.” Asked if there has been any change with new County Executive Ed Mangano in charge, Wang said, “How would I know? We haven’t spoken with anyone.”
While he refused to discuss the arena or potential for re-location any further, the Islanders owner was bullish on the state of his hockey team’s rebuilding program.
“I think it’s been wonderful,” he said, naming the club’s recent top draft picks and pickups Rob Schremp and Matt Moulson. “The kids have added a new kind of energy to the team. I think we’re a little bit ahead. There’s a great chemistry there.”
Asked if the Islanders could add salary to improve the current team and get them into the playoffs, Wang said, “Yes. That’s a decision Garth will make. We’re very supportive of Garth.” Then he said he wouldn’t want to see the Islanders make a trade that negatively affects the building of the team. “It takes time,” Wang said.
Discuss Charles Wang’s comments in this thread.
46 Responses to “CHARLES WANG: NOTHING DOING ON LIGHTHOUSE
Owner says no talks since last Town hearing”
Please Wait
Brooklyn Islanders!!!
Look, don’t string us along like this. I can’t deal with the thought that my New York Islanders won’t be there by the time I have kids, and I’m teaching them about hockey. We’re all counting on you, Chuck, this isn’t a politics game, it’s so much more to all of us.
glad i didn’t miss don cherry after that waste of a 3 minute interview. should of had garth on there instead and asked the same questions regarding the team.
If I was born yesterday I might have confidence in Wang. Instead, I saw him keep mike milbury of all people as his gm, then hire a back up goalie as gm over expierenced hockey people like Ken morrow n butch goring and trottier. A good gm hires a coach who stresses defense 1st when the owner has no $$ to pay for a average payroll. Ask the Minnesota wild who won two rounds as a expansion team.
Wang is delusional, period. His assessment of the team and GM tell me things will be the same for years to come. He looks at the glass as half full eventhough his team sits in 26th place, and in in the midst of a 6 (maybe 7 after tonight) game losing streak. Just because he kept the team on LI doesn’t make him a good owner.
Sounds like CW wants to wait until end of hockey season. Also hasn’t heard from county or toh, Brooklyn hear we come.
Yaaaaawn!
really Bob cause most everyone had us ahead of schedule and in the middle of most NHL power rankings before this losing streak. Can’t be ahead of the rebulid 2 weeks ago and now behind it.
We all know we were not as good as the team that beat the Wings nor are we as bad as we have played on the road trip.
Disappointed - but not surprised - there has been no traction with T.O.H. in recent times…..Charles is right to focus on this season and forget about those clowns led by that BOZO - Kate Murray.
Played sports my whole life, including College Soccer, and ya know what the real definition of a “team having trouble scoring” is = the Team Stinks ! Scoring is what TELLS you if a team is any good !! It is Ridiculous when people say ‘oh the team is just having trouble scoring’ UGH ! Yeah, it means the Team is no good. If you’re good - you score, if you’re not good, you don’t score. Competition 101 ! Why do they try to treat customers like dummies.
Its kind of like saying, “I’m just missing having some money, I’m just not having trouble making some” LOL
Wasn’t the last REAL LightHouse update a billing dispute over payment to a TOH “expert?” I don’t remember ever hearing any resolve on that…
its the same old story year after year when does it end i have had it with this team i am moving on good bye islanders
I personally think it’s encouraging that Wang said “they’re actively looking for other options”. Hopefully, he is actually doing so rather than doing something else.
Please move to Queens. LI with there high taxes already can’t afford to keep them there. If Queens looses 50 million dollars in a year because of the Islanders, so what. That’s nothing to New York City. The surrounding suburbs will pay. I know I live in Westchester. LI residents will pay higher tax if the move to Queens, but it might be a much smaller amount than if they stayed in LI.
Its really nothing new. He doesn’t want to talk about it in the press, his first desire is Nassau county but they are exploring all options……big freakin whup!
the fact that nobody tried to go after kostopolous makes me embarassed to be an islanders fan. Way to stick up for your team mate… not that i’m surprised (see frans neilsen incident)
I refuse to go to Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum until this situation the lighthouse situation is resolved. Why do I have to continue to pay good money to see a team that has been in a rebuilding phase for the umteenth time in an inferior building that is quite frankly a dump?
I’m not interested in who’s right or who’s wrong anymore. News should be imminent one way or the other before the season is over. I am sick and tired of WAITING for this team to get better with absolutely no news about a new building.
Give a thirsty man in the desert a drink of water already!
If that’s what he was going to say, then he shouldn’t have appeared. I’d rather be annoyed thinking nothing was doing than listening to him tell me nothing was doing. When he said “tell me yes or no,” that’s a HUGE slap in the face of fans like myself and many others here that wasted one or two days last summer attending the hearings at Hofstra. PLEASE…just get over this crap. If TOH hasn’t given you a clue on what’s happening, tell us you’re actively talking with other parties, and who they are. Up the ante. I’m sure I speak for a ton of us that we just want some clarity, and if not that, some information. Any information. I wanted to slap the guy when he acted like he’s just a nice guy waiting for those meanies in Hempstead to make up his mind.
Is it time to start thinking top 5 draft pick? This team just can’t score.
It seemed confusing from Wang’s talk to Howie Rose that his goal “is to stay in Nassau County Coliseum” but he is also ” actively looking at other options?” These statements sound contradictory to one another. Which statemnts should we really believe?
Wang said what he as to. I kind of agree with #10. Not scoring is because you don’t have reliable scorers.
Wang’s comment on spending the $$$ to improve the team - HA!!!!!!!!!!!! He won;t spend more than 4 mil on a player - tops but more likely 2-3 mil.
A team needs a blue-chipper and if and when Tavares gets to that point Wang won’t pay.
We’re in a catch 22. We will develop our players to get into the playoffs but we won’t spend the money to get to the top. as we develop a player he will be gone.
I hate being so negative but frustrated in that we are a team with plenty of cap to have picked up some very good players thru the UFA and most likey be a #6 team now and solid for a spot in the playoffs.
I hope and pray that Kovachuk is not signed by New Jersey and we pick him up this summer. He would be great for this team and great for all of the young players. Kovi is a stud and will be for many years at just 26!!!!!
The Peter meter reads:
35 shots and 34 saves.
The ride is over. This team peaked at the wrong team.
Well at least we got meaningful games until February.
The Season is Over. The chemistry this team had before rickys return is gone. If were going to lose lets at least try for another #1 PICK.
I said it before, I am going to say it again. Wishing for the playoffs is shortsighted. This team needs more cant miss prospects. We need to finish bottom 3 again. Period and end of story.
I think we will finish 29th
Charles Wang FIRE GORDON… He has no idea how to run a bench, or motivate his players. This is the NHL, not the AHL. We live in NY start dumping the Boston connections that started with Milbury and just maybe we can call it a re-build
Wang still doesn’t have an clue about hockey - all he cares about is money and real estate…this team needs a shake up with some trades…they need some new blood in the lineup…he loves having young players on the team b/c they make the least in salary…If I was Snow I would let Biron play goal on Tues night vs. Nash if he doesn’t make any trades…or better yet sign a Sumo to play goal.
I have been the biggest Sim basher of the year, but over the last 6 games he has been one of the best forwards…Anyone notice since DP has been back that all the team energy/confidence has gone down the tubes.
You fans crack me up. On the one hand everyone is pissed about losing all these games in a row and then on the other you want them to go for the top pick. Talk about contradiction.
Wang is great! He spoke honestly and directly. He showed that staying in Nassau is first priority but said the ToH hasn’t even gotten back to him about his proposal. If they dont want the team there then maybe anorher place will. And I’m happy he doesn’t reveal the options. Why should he?
Send Tavares to Bridgeport, where he can develop whatever skills he has. Lose every game the rest of the way except for the ones against the Rangers and grab the No. 2 pick in the draft. Then, if Nassau won’t spend the money, take the team to Kansas City. Enough is enough.
Shake the team up with trades? Is that a joke? What commodities do we have to get something good in return? Wang was brilliant by saying you dont make trades just for the sake of making trades. You know how did that? Mike Milbury. Shows me Wang’s learned a thing or 2 along the way.
miket239 on Feb 6th, 2010 21:02:02 said:
Brooklyn Islanders!!!
harumph
Kansas City is your first choice #29? Are you moving there in the near future? Should the Isles relocate to the mid west you can say goodbye to the identity of this Franchise. If you are the least bit knowledgable of geography,there ain’t no Island in KC!!!! I for one would be totally disenfranchised and no longer have any passion for a relocated franchise 1000 miles away with a completely new face! Keep our team in the Metro area either in Brooklyn or Queens where they will remain the ISLANDERS! Oh yeah,Charles! How about giving your diehards who have invested an inordinate amount of time and passion into your entity just a peek into its future rather than allowing them to contemplate the possibility they are wasting time with a lame duck locally based organization?
Sometimes its good this team gets no media coverage..can you imagine the uproar in this city if Dolan went on air in a 7 game losing streak..or if Jeff Wilpon went on after losing 7 staight , scoring 2 runs a game..proclaiming they are hapy and improving?
The Wang interview showed me that while he says they are looking out all their options, do they really have any? If they did, don’t you think those options would have leaked out by now? My guess is that Queens/Wilits Point would be Wang’s best option because they will be allowed to build condos, office buildings, etc. which I think is what he really wants. I don’t think he really cares much about the Islanders or hockey.
If they go to Brooklyn, which I hope they do go to (I live in NJ) I see him eventually selling the team to the multi billionaire Russian who is part owner of Nets and the owner of the arena they want to build.
A ludicrous “interview.” Embarrassing when Wang slapped Howie down.
Willets Point is a no-brainer. A few miles from Nassau County. The 7 line (Wow! I could see the Isles in their own building instead of in depressing Newark). The LIRR. CitiField revamping with a year-round, 100-flatscreen TV bar accessible to all 365 days a year. The tennis facilities. Room for Charlie to build all the non-hockey–related crap his billionaire’s heart craves after the chopshops are closed up. A large percentage of Mets fans are also Isles fans (Brooklyn is 99.9% Rangers territory).
The Lighthouse is running on a hamster-powered generator. Time to move on. Move to Queens.
Wang can’t take a hint, Hello!!! TOH IS NOT INTERESTED!!!, Move on already his groveling is getting embarrassing, sheesh.
BLAH,BLAH, BLAH.. Mr Wang. talk is cheap!
This teams current budget, & the obvious lack of any real motivation to give these kids a little help right now.make us look “Even Cheaper!”/
I’m so excited about training camp in China next season!
LOL…please focus on the team Wang!
Just read the Blog NY Islander Brass, Most of us are tired of The Kool-Aid!(stop patronizing us- it’s Weak)
Lets Go Isles.. Lets Go Islanders!!
I agree,#36! How long is he going to wait for a response from TOH? It is quite evident the message has come across loud and clear,Charlie. You are not wanted in that Republican controlled greasy palm sewer district! Kings County’s Marty Markowitz is showing his Love and Queens wants to hug you! You are a Queens College grad,are you not? You haven’t explored your options yet,Charlie? Come on now! I wasn’t born yesterday! Share some good news with your fan base. God only knows,we deserve that much! Your rebuild isn’t ahead of schedule. The mortor and bricks haven’t even arrived yet! Following this Soap Opera and stagnant Franchise is painful!
I did not see or hear the interview as I was at the horrible game tonight. I was beginning to wonder the other day what the state of the Lighthouse is. All I can say I knew this would happen when Kate Murray got reelected. There would no longer be an interest in the Lighthouse with those stupid Republicans. Go to Queens or Brooklyn as those officials clearly are stating no to the Lighthouse and the Islanders.
Sounds like both the Islanders and the economy are in serious “somebody do something to get us moving again” mode. Charles said nothing interesting. What was the point?
Remember back to when Mr. Wang purchased the team. The reason he did was so that he would have the inside track on the development of the “Nassau Hub”. He freely admitted that he knew zero about hockey. The entire purpose for his purchase of the club was for the development of the real estate. A nice by-product of his purchase was an immediate influx of capital into the club (Peca, Osgood, Yashin, et al) when we all praised him for making the club relevant again.
With that being said, if the Lighthouse falls through, I can see Mr. Wang selling the club to a new owner who will then relocate the club. I do not see Mr. Wang relocating the club to Brooklyn or Queens or anywhere else in the local area. If you want the Islanders to stay put, the only way it’ll happen is if the Lighthouse receives the green light.
Since the ToH and the LDC haven’t spoken since the alleged “billing dispute”, any hope for an ongoing closed door negotiation regarding the project over the past months is not happening. That’s very disheartening for someone like me who supports the Lighthouse to keep the Islanders in Uniondale.
Incredibly disrespectful evil eye from wang to howie…the guy is doing his job and wang scolded him. It would seem that this is the way he runs his organizations…don’t ask don’t tell…easy to say focus on hockey…but when the hockey blows and the team is playing for a pick why should we the fans care when we have such uncertainty about where the team will play.
This is not a cat and mouse game. Murray and the council do not want the project and will face no political fallout when the Isles move. So Charlie wake up and move on. And respect your fans.
NYC is no tbuilding two arenas. If, and its a big IF, Brooklyn gets done, our best hope is the Russian buys us.
The sad part is that a Lighthouse was built to protect ships from crashing into the rocks and sinking. Too bad The Lighthouse is causing this once great franchise to sink. Kinda sad that our billionaire owner cant see the forest through the trees, or maybe he just doesn’t care.
Amazing how there is never good news that comes from this team. Either they cant score or top prospects get hurt to nothing new for an arena. So tired of this.