WANG, MANGANO ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT
Hempstead plan rips up the Lighthouse Project
Tuesday, 11:15 am: Here is the complete statement issued by Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and Charles Wang’s Lighthouse Development Group:
The effort between the New York Islanders and Nassau County to keep the Islanders where they belong started in 2003. Given the financial position of the County, the Islanders developed a plan to fund the transformation of the Coliseum. The plan, which came to be known as the Lighthouse, included additional development necessary to fund the construction and other expense of a new home for the Islanders.
While we have not yet had the time to review the “new vision” just released by Supervisor Murray and the Town of Hempstead for the re-development of the Coliseum site, it does not appear to achieve the goals of the County and the developer. Without this, the Town of Hempstead’s “new vision” looks to be economically unviable for both the developer and the owner of the site.”
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12:00 am: As written here on Friday night, the Town of Hempstead has cut Charles Wang’s county-approved Lighthouse Project in half. There is a ToH press conference Monday at 11:00 am, but as expected, Newsday confirms all our details (subscription needed). The LHP’s 2,306 residential units have been dropped to 500. As PB forecasted, Hempstead is selling the idea of 5 million square feet, but that includes parking. Finally, as broken exclusively on Point Blank, the Lighthouse Development Group and the office of Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano issued a joint statement slamming the pushback: “The Town of Hempstead’s new vision looks to be economically unviable to the developer and owner of the site.” Comments.
just move the team already. the fans don’t deserve this. we all know charles wang won’t accept this.
This is never going to work.
What a shame, but we knew the proposal would not be palatable to CW because the change would be too drastic for him to accept. So much for a beacon of light. As a proud Long Islander by birth, I would have been happy to see LI have its Lighthouse.
Well I guess a decision will be made by Mr. Wang about the future outcome of the New York Islanders? It never ends being an Isles fan.
9 story hotel? let see the plan. why does magano have to be such a buzz kill. cant believe he actually considering casino, how ghetto.
I’m confused…Ed Mangano is on our side now and is pushing back against Kate Murray?
Aren’t they both in the same party?? There’s got to be a circle in hell for those capable of political posturing like this.
Congrats to CB on the scoop, two full days before Long Island’s Premiere Mouthpiece of Cablevision. That’s a legit feather in his cap.
This seems like the end of Charles Wang’s involvement with the Lighthouse Project.
I foresee either development in Willets Point, or a sale of the Islanders, hopefully to someone willing to bring the team to Brooklyn or Queens.
Anyone driving down Hempstead Turnpike on the way to a game can certainly understand why Kate Murray wouldn’t want to disturb the suburban beauty of that street. Give us a break.
I can see one of a few things happening now that lease with SMG is no longer a major issue.
1. Wang will either move the team to Willets Point, Brooklyn, Elmont (by Belmont racetrack, or some other spot in Suffolk County) where a new arena is built. Not sure if a new arena alone would still be financially viable for Wang regardless of where it is. Also not sure if Wang would get development rights in those areas to create a mix use development project.
2. He will sell the team to someone who will move the team to Queens/Brooklyn and will happy just with a new arena and would be economically viable for the new owner.
3. He will sell the team to someone who will keep the team in Nassau and will happy just with a new arena and some small development in the area and would be economically viable for the new owner.
I see scenario 1 as the most likely. Wang has spent too much emotional and financial resources and 2015 is not that far away to walk away now.
Chuck, pick up the phone and call Fred Wilpon. Call the political leaders of Queens. Get it done. If Ranger fans can take the train to the Garden, we can take the train to Queens. Nassau County is one huge ball of red tape! Time to leave them and their economic issues and their poltical games.
If I were CW and I were considering selling the team, I’d MAKE SURE my potential suitor was moving the team to Queens or Suffolk. I wouldn’t want Nassau making so much as a nickel off this team in the future.
As an optimist…they meet in the middle and agree on 1,350 residential units among other things ending this decade long uncertainty. We all toast when they break ground in 2012.
If you go to CB Twitter blog and he mentions that Kate Murray says LH push back is not negotiable. I think this is the time Wang comes out and says something.
I’m so tired of this story. Just announce a move to Queens already. It will only benefit the franchise.
I’m sorry, but the TOH is run by a bunch of clowns. I really hope Mr. Wang has a plan B ready to roll. The TOH does not deserve to have the Islanders.
Seriously, the TOH obviously doesn’t give 2 craps about keeping the Isles in Hempstead, so if this push back is not negotiable Wang needs to push forward in selling or moving the team. They should at least be willing to settle on 1000 - 1200 residential units. What they are doing to all the LHP’s hard work is disgusting.
I am sick of this.
Kate’s right. Gotta preserve the suburban dream. Everytime I drive past Taste of Honey on Fulton Ave, I sigh to myself, thinking this is exactly where I want to raise my future children.
Nothing like Taste of Honey in the big scary mean city!
so tomorrow the town gives us what they want. Wang will not respond for a while and this thing gets pushed back further. Lets just get this over with. Is it going to happen, or not happen? End the childish bickering.
Whats “Taste of Honey”?
This will drag on for another 3 years. KO and Tavares will leave and we will be in year 25 of the “rebuilding process”. MOVE THE TEAM or SELL IT. The Lighthouse dream is over.
16, Taste of Honey = exactly what it sounds like.
Or, to quote the official website, “Long Islands Premier Adult Entertainment Experience.”
Located just minutes (traffic permitting, aka never) west of the Coli… and right in the heart of Kate Murray’s “suburbia.”
What about the actual arena? I guess that is a minor detail?
Sickening. I’m hoping someone with better experitse on the matter organizes people to do everything it can to fight the TOH on this. If its too late for that - anything involving action against the TOH is welcomed by me.
I can’t sleep. Hope Wang makes his move soon so we know what is going on. This team and its fanbase does not deserve this.
So sick of this and the TOH. Of course it is not economically viable because TOH and their allies made sure it wouldn’t be. The only thing that has ever made sense is TOH’s Kate Murray has a secret partner. They are attempting to stall and finanically bleed Wang and the Isles out. They didn’t win the development rights the first time so they hope to force Wang to move on (Murray would love to see the Isles leave because then they do what they want on the site and it will probably be bigger then what Charles proposed) and they swoop in, get the rights and get green lighted by the TOH.
Can the County and State not force a town to do something for the greater public good? I do not understand because where I live it trickles down, State, county, city or town. There would be no way outside a lawsuit for the lowest on the food chain to hold a project up.
Everyone please remember there is ZERO state, county or town money going into this at this time. It has to all be from Wang and his investors so there is no just building a new arena because it would cost 100’s of millions by Wang and he would probably never recoup that. TOH would be happy because they get increased tax and other revenue and it didn’t cost them a dime but doesn’t work for anyone else and not the Isles.
I believe Wang has been too nice. He needs to turn up the heat and really publicly expose Murray and TOH and all their dirty games. Harder for them to pull their schemes when the spotlight is on them.
Its fine. I’m done with it, move the team, sell the team, whatever. I don’t really care about a team that doesn’t care about its fan base.
i love how john candy’s twin says making this whole endeavor profitable is not her concern. wow.
without the housing and people there… it won’t work. it’ll just be another big mall.
Long Island is over crowded, whats wrong with half, the Light House project was way to big, I dont understand why you cant just renovate the coliseum, add some things which they are doing, and play hockey…but Wanger wants to make a mark on LI, it would be the largest project since Levitown do we really need that, large development doesnt mean its smart development…Im an Islander fan since I was a kid, and not a glory fan that grew up watching championships, a fan that has suffered through out the 90s and the present day, Just renovate the coliseum, make some money on the side, and play hockey, this is all politics and bs…when what really matters is Ice Hockey, and the LI way of life…
sea cliff dude… why don’t you understand? you need the people living there with the money to spend on the retail space. and the taxes added. if it’s not profitable then it doesn’t work. it’s not as simple as a nice new shiny building. the whole thing with or without wang has to be profitable.
I heard there is new musical called “Kiss My A**, Kate” starring the New York Islanders when they move out of town.
When will she be held accountable and join the ranks of the unemployed? When will we say enough is ENOUGH? When will we vote her out of office? She DOES NOT deserve to have a job.
Garth Snow should come to the press conference dressed in his Mr. Met costume.
Wang needs to play his next card now.
Interesting to see both the LDG and ED Mangano’s office to slam the TOH’s plan. But as long as Al D’amato is involved, I would NEVER want to see Wang working with Mangano.
#5, Murray and Mangano may be in the same party and appear to be on different sides of this, but it is only politcal posturing on Mangano’s part. Good cop/bad cop.
Wang can’t accept this, 500 units makes the shopping center financially unworkable.
What will likely happen is what the Pols want, gridlock. Wang will try to negotiate from here with TOH to get at least 1,500 units, the possibility could be 1,000 units. It could take until…….2015 if Wang will finally accept.
Ridiculous. TOH developed its own plan without considering the economic viability of it. This clearly was their goal all along. Murray stalled for years, came up with an unviable plan, released it in the middle of the night, and called a last minute press conference to keep attendance levels low. This is shameful. Let’s flood Kate Murray’s office with phone calls and letters opposing her ridiculous “plan” and backing Wang and Rechler.
Insulting is the first word that came to mind. We knew it had to be cut back for the town to accept it … but that appears to be way more than half.
To bad L.A. has the name the “Kings” … The Isles could become the Kings of Queens.
Votes.. Murray is simply worried about a demographic chnage that will lead to more democratic votes and the downturn of the Republican party in TOH. As a life long republican this saddens me. Also, I hope the unions finally speak up
It’s vitally important that we give this “plan” a name, something not nasty, but something that has a sneering ring of sarcasm to it. A bit of shorthand that we can regularly call it, expressing our disdain in one pithy word. I would like to nominate…MURRAYVILLE.
Sea Cliff - the LI way of life at this point should include affordable housing to keep a generation of young long islanders from leaving. If it doesn’t then LI will continue its slow and steady descent into oblivion. My kids are 9 and 6 and I can’t fathom them being able to stay here 15 years from now if things don’t change.
Kate Murray is pathetic. Hempstead does not deserve this team. Bring them to Suffolk, Steve Levy wants them…
I think the best option for Wang and Rechler is to team up with the Shinnecock Nation and add a casino to the site. Any land development plan involving the Shinnecocks will be outside the ToH jurisdiction, I beleive….
Im tired of this. Just figure it out so we can move on with our lives! All i ask is that the Isles stay in NY.
I really don’t care what happens. I think Wang should just take the deal and build it. I hope he does not get fussy and say no. I want a new place for Isles!
Get ready to welcome your new neighbors Mets
Isles are done. I say he should just sell the team and move it off long island. Even though I am a Isles fan it will never work here on Long Island.
I still don’t get how Mangano is on the same side of Wang now? Doesn’t D’amato and Mondello pull his strings? How can this POSSIBLY be? Can anyone please explain all this to me?
I still don’t get how Mangano is on the same side of Wang now? Doesn’t D’amato and Mondello pull his strings? How can this POSSIBLY be? Can anyone please explain all this to me?
This was just a big waste of time and huge waste of money! TOH residents I’m glad your taxes paid for these new plans that nobody wanted in the first place.
this is there way of keeping it from being “the republicans made the islanders move. its all political BS.
the isles are toast.
The County continues to support The Isles and the Lighthouse…..Town of Hempstead continues to shoot it down.
Let find somewhere else in Nassau County to make this happen.
Let Kate Murray’s Legacy be that of the Gambling, Drugs, and Prostitution that Casino will bring.
More and more I would like to see some partnership with the Wilpons near Citifield. Let Murrayville be content to have the casino as it’s anchor tenant.
The funny thing is town of hempstead is not putting a dime towards the project and they tell Wang what he can build. If I was Wang I tell them to stick it up there a–. Queens here we come.
Every time people go on and on about moving the team regardless, it potentially weakens the LH and Manganos stance here. Moving the team is what they should do only if a dumb town board really is allowed to tell the owners of the area, Nassau County itself, and the ones actually paying for everything, let alone the state government (which supports the LH) what to do. Its all completely backwards- her idea of how Charles Wang should spend HIS money on land that the County owns cannot possibly be the final word.
Gooodbye, Nassau. Hello, Willets Point. Wang will never sign off on half a Lighthouse. The only hope of keeping the Isles in Nassau is for Mangano to “persuade” fellow Republican Murray and her TOH minions to compromise and meet Wang somewhere in the middle of 100% and 50%.
….what a waste of money. No way Wang goes for that deal. They have problems with the LH project but propse a casino? This is such a political fiasco. The fanbase is tired of this. Please Mr Wang announce your intentions and put this horrific mess to rest so we can all carry on one way or another.
this mangano character is very intriguing. it seems the old guard doesn’t have quite the grip it used to, or they have become more cagey.
I heard on the radio this morning that Kate wanted to show Wang her new plans before today and he would not return a phone call. Wang is no innocent victim here. He used us like pawns when he wanted us to show up and support his light-house, now he leaves us and the TOH in the dark. Thank goodness I gave back my 4 season tickets this year. I am tired of this soap-opera that never ends. I am emotionally drained and don’t care what happens at this point.
So Nassau against the TOH proposal now?? I knew the TOH would come out against the Wang proposal with a ridiculous one themselves that makes it economical impossible for Wang to do this–I really dont think the TOH cares about the islanders leaving-They will find someone 10 years from now to build some limited things there, but there will be NO arena, NO Isles…Now the final question in my mind is where Nassau County/Mangano stand on this—not by talk but by action–I dont know if they have any power to go over the TOH head but now would be their time to flex muscle as the county stands to lose a ton of much needed revenue if this falls apart and the Isles move, as it seems to be the case now–Watch the Isles are sold as a possiblility(but they are gone either way) Step up Mr. mangano
Hey Sea Cliff, the reason the arena itself won’t work is because it won’t make money by itself. Studies have already been done which show that a new/renovated arena will not generate a significant increase in revenue to make it worth while to undertake the project.
I’m no Wang sympathiser, but he’s got a right to make a profit, especially if he’s willing to front all the money for the Project. Its selfish to expect him to just build a new arena and continue to lose money, when he’s been losing $20 Million/season since he bought the team.
Wang bought the Isles under the agreement that if he di, he could develop the property surrounding the coliseum. The TOH knew what he wanted to do with this property years ago. Now, the want to scale it back by over 50%? He should pack the team up, head to Queens and never look back.
While I fully concede the fact that Kate Murray is a blitherin,g corrupt buffoon. What irks me about this is Wang’s notion that the LH can’t be profitbale without so many units of residential property and so many retail establishments.
Shouldn’t Lord Wang’s first priority be that the Islanders are profitable??? Shouldnt the new arena and athletic complex that he town has approved almost guarantee that for the Isles? Look at the Devils. They build a brand new arena in the middle of that sink hole known as Newark, and didnt build a mall or restaurants next to it. Yet somehow they’re raking in cash now, even though they draw 10k fans on a good night. Why is the Islanders fate tied to luxury condominiums? Will the people that buy also be required to purchase season tickets? Explain to me what I’m missing here? The Islanders are merely a pawn in Sir Charles’ grand land grab scheme apparently.
Im fine with a Queens move, last time I checked Nassau County had a total of around 5 million inhabitants, not a small village anymore, it takes about 30 minutes almost from anywhere in Nassau to reach the coliseum building a whole new city there is a disaster this is how Queens starts spreading in the suburbs, i know the unions want it for jobs, etc…but it aint gonna happen the environmental impact would be to great, if keeping the isles means looking like queens rather then them moving to QUEENS move to Queens, I would still love the games, and plus I would just have to get on LIRR to see the game…yep sorry I aint gonna see Nassau become the next queens…
Mike (not bossy): Dont you know a TOH ploy when you hear one? Did you sign their stimulus money website petition, too? The TOH is saying that because they are counting on people like you to bash the LH developers as the bad guys here.
CB, Great job breaking this story!! I am a bit more optimistic on this project then before. Kate now has a big problem, and it’s Mr. Mangano. Unlike the former Nassau County Exc., Tom Suozzi, Mangano is a republican and so is Kate. The fact he went public today on Wangs side is very surprising and great news for Wang. I would expect a battle now, Wang will push his efforts with the Mets, a great fallback, but in the end, Kate rolls-over and a deal gets cut. For whatever reason, Manganos decision was courageous and very helpful, and we Islander fans should thank him for his efforts.
Nassau sucks….Queens sucks…..Brooklyn sucks
bring the team to the REAL Island….Suffolk County
Wang probably knew what was going down last week and that played apart in the non renewal of the contracts. Using the same logic, then he has no plans for a counter proposal and is looking to sell the team and let the new owner worry about where they play in the future.
IsleFan73 - I’m hoping that your right but I don’t see what leverage Mangano can use here. Don’t you think that if he could sway this he would done so behind the scenes already? To me, if he’s going public its all posturing and he has very little influence.
Chris,
You and I were asked to go down to the pep rallies and show our support for the Islanders and the project. I supported the LH and when Wang needed our help, he and his people maintained an active website and a local presence at the games. I did not say Wang is a bad guy, I did say he is not an innocent victim. His website went dormant a while ago, there has been no reaction from him and he won’t even discuss this matter with the town. face, it we were used as pawns. My ticket agent and others in the organization kept telling me, wait for free agency. wait to see who they bring in. since then, all they did was raise my parking prices and make me pay finance charges for my seats. while I pay top dollar for my seats, the team discounts the tickets tremendously, making it impossible for me to recoup more than 20 percent of my investement on days when I can not make the game. I have been treated very poorly by them and I am tired of this.
No news here. The Hooples of Hempstead are performing exactly in the dogmatic way they have always performed.
There should be no expectation for a these people to behave any differently then they always have, and always will.
If you hire a taxi cab driver to drive your taxi—you will be fine. But if you hire a taxi crab drive to fly a jet plane—you will have a problem. (please understand the metaphor—nothing AT ALL against cabbies…)
In the end, Willits Point, and not Uniondale is and will remain the best option for the Islanders and its owner—and, in my opinion, its fans.
NVMC should remain a monument to mismanagement and bad governance post 2015 to Kate Murray, Joe Mondello and the rest of the Hooples of Hempstead. Long Island’s own 16,000 seat crack den. It would fit in perfectly with what Murray and her cronies have done to Hempstead Township.
I know we arent supposed to bicker against eachother - #1 rule of this site but it pains me to not respond to Sea Cliff. You dont want Nassau to become queens?? You are talking about a swatch of land not an entire county here. Plus - is Wang proposing 100’s of blocks of highrise buildings or 2500 mixed use housing units plus a 25 story hotel. Lets put this in perspective. Glad you are an Isles fan and want Queens. This is a possible fallback option. There is no guarantee it is even a real possibility. As a fan you are either for Lighthouse and isles or not. In my view Sea Cliff - you are not with us if you do not support the lighthouse and LI. Please keep ignorant quotes about another queens when the scope of this project is not creating a new county like Quuens. Is it a large scope project - hell yeah. Is is much different than what we now have by the Rooselvelt Raceway. 2 large mails and well over 2500 residential units between the 2 complexes. Does this remind you of queens- not me. Geez - this is why nothing will ever get done. Sorry CB - I know I just broke cardinal rule #1 but I have had it with Nassau - politicians and even more - naive Nassau residents.
QUEENS! NOW.
Thats just pathetic to scale the project down 50% i can see cutting size back a little 80& - 75% theres gotta be a spot to meet in the middle.
As much as I would love the isles to pick up and move to Queens. I feel we would be in for a bigger nightmare just dealing with NYC dept of buildings.
Brian (#59) - Apparently Kate Murray is not the only blithering buffoon here. It’s sad that after all of this time people are still drinking the TOH Kool-Aid here.
To all those who think Queens and Brooklyn are fallback options. Jeff Wilpon is 1 of 29 developers putting in bids to redevelop Willets Point. No sure thing that he wins out. In Brooklyn, the arena is not even being built to house an NHL approved hockey rink and the new owner of the Nets said in a radio interview he is not interested in the Islanders. I think its either the casino wins out and Wang stays or he sells and our team is gone. Where are you Gary Bettman? If you can fight to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix, please do the same for our Islanders.
gchnyc (#67).. Your seriously going to compare the NYC dept of buildings with nassau and the ToH? OK?
IMHO, I believe that Charles Wang had decided quite some time ago that he was no longer going to spend another dime on this franchise. This was decided when his previous deadline passed back in October(or thereabouts). Wang is a shrewd business man, and made it VERY clear at the time that he had a deadline, and when that date passed, he was open to ANYTHING. There could be no other explanation as to why the Isles do not grab Ilya Kovalchuk at this juncture.
I am guessing that Wang is NOW in HARD negotiations in selling at least part of this team(if not all, probably) to other interests. He is not going to sink any more money into this team.
This whole matter is a huge shame, and yet another disappointment to all Islander fans, who really just want a better hockey product.
This whole thing is one big joke…
Anywhere else in the country local politicians from any political party would be standing next to CW and mugging for the camera.
Lets see…
1- Whole project paid without taxpayer money
2- Create jobs (construction for 5-10 years and many misc in restaurants, shops, arena, physial therapists and such, etc…)
3- Create minimal high end jobs
4- Tax revnue for Hempstead/Nassaus and State
5- Bring in conventions and more $$$ in taxes (btw… also Union Jobs)
6- Have something in Nassau that doesn’t look like it was built in 1968
7- Selfishly- my Mom’s house in East Meadow would go up in value, not to mention everyone elses… do I hear more tax revenue and income for LI businesses?!?!?!?
This shoudd be about revitalizing the county, bringing in a breathe of fresh air that has been stagnant since Grumman was in it hey day and making money for the town/county/state.
However, the Republicans could give a rats a$$ about anything other than holding on to power. If they had half a brain they would realize that siding with CW would increase their power and make them the party of the future, not the party of the dying Elephant.. wait.. maybe thats just a picture of Kate with her nose stretched out from sticking so far up party leader behinds!!!.
MAN AM I FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!!!
Wang dropped the ball by waiting and waiting to put a quality product on the ice to get people excited. Yeah yeah i get the whole build through the draft idea and it will come to fruition in 2 or 3 years…great! But to get this thing built the right way - The Islanders should have been made better - earlier.
PS - The Islanders will not leave. If Bettman has one ounce of wisdom he wont let it happen. Also another big wig Long Islander will step up and buy out Mr Wang. Believe me - with Citi-Ice a possibility - If Wang cant get that done - someone else WILL.
I don’t really care any more. I don’t live in ToH, but the voters there re-elected KM by a wide margin and decided they like the GOP machine over the Democrats–regardless of what happens to the Islanders.
I go back to my comment in the last LH item, Wang gets 100 additional units of housing for every $1 million he spends above the cap floor.
Brian, the difference with the devils is that their owners didnt pay for the arena.
ToH spends $300,000 for engineering costs for land they do not own? They just could not zone it for x number of residential units per acre and save the $$? It took them ten years to get to this point? Town of Huntington almost approved a project last week for about the same number of residential units ON TEN ACRES OF LAND!
nassau is the best option…and now Wang has gotten his yes or no. I think this is a good thing as it will finally bring resolution either way. I think he sells because 500 units is way too few to make any $$. Love to hear those Mangano Murray conversations on this..lol
What really bothers me is that a lowly town elected official like Kate Murray thinks she is so much more than that.
All of a sudden she is an Economist, a City Planner, and Environmentalist, a Civil Engineer, etc etc etc. She does not own the Gray Matter to be in charge of this. Our System is backwards.
59 Brian: The owners of the Devils did not pay hundreds of millions of dollars to build that arena! You are comparing an arena publically funded to one that Wang would fund himself! Dont you see how different that is?
Mike 65… You hate the political game, so do I, but you cant act like this is a game CW WANTS to play. You can do the he should have done this, he should have done that thing, but when it comes right down to it if there was a way to have already gotten this taken care of he would have already done it.
I don’t live in L.I. (CT), and maybe I don’t have all the facts, but my simple views on this are:
1. TOH has a right to make choices they think are best for TOH (Murray is elected by the citizens)
2. Don’t know of too many (if any) new arenas that were tied into a such a complex deal (mall, businesses, residential, etc).
3. If you put a cup contending team together that competes year after year, the Isles will be profitable. Can’t imagine a successful Metro NY sports team not making a profit.
I’m for the Isles staying in NVMC, but I always felt that Wang’s Lighthouse project was more than just about the Isles.
This is ridiculous. I am all for the LH plan but enough is enough. I’m thinking Queens might be a good option.
“Gutty34″, I agree with you. Maybe someone should take “Sea Cliff” on a guided tour of the areas surrounding the Coliseum. I wish some of those spots looked like Queens, which by the way, does have some very nice communities.
5 year olds should b able to come to terms here wang wants the whole thing that cow kate wants half how about 75% of the project and everyone walks away somewhat happy. The idea that wang needs all 100% to make a profit is crazy but 75% should help wang make good profits and Kate can save some face and look like she actully cares about the project.
Poster at 54:15 you forgot one scenario that is more likely if Wang did choose to sell the team. . While people are screaming for Wang to sell the team I think they’re missing this very important point.
Hopefully Wang just moves to Queens and does not sell the team to KC or Winnipeg.
Let’s get moved to the new arena in Queens as soon as possible so Katie dear can get the potatoes planted before the next blight.
My post got cut in half, it read ; (If Wang sold the team) the new owner, having no ties to Hempstead OR Long Island, very easily could move the team to a different state that would embrace a project or team that would stimulate their economy. He would also avoid New Yorks outrageous taxes. Be careful what you wish for.
It’s good to see Mangano and Nassau County on Wang’s side, however I believe that Managano wants a Casino there. I can see how that would raise tax revenue in a hurry, but I don’t think there is a chance in heck it would ever happen.
By the way, there is no way they would get a casino in there and, if its not financially viable, no builder will take that proposal. So, either, the taxpayers will be building Murrayville or the land will sit, unused, until they actually build a lighthouse type project, without a sports team to anchor it and with some portion being paid for by the taxpayers of this Town.
Done…..LIE to Cross Island N, Northern Blvd west to Bell Blvd, make a right turn. Find a parking spot, find a bar….Drink, take LIRR a few stops…watch hocky game.
75,
Most arenas are built with 20 to 70% of the cost subsidized by the taxpayers. Wang is offering to build/renovate the arena at no cost to taxpayers IF they give him the land to build this complex along side it.
Seems like a good deal for all. If TOH does not want it then TOH, State of NY and Nassau County will most likely have to come up with $ to help subsidize the cost for the arena. I doubt Wang will move the team to Queens because there is not enough land for him to build his vision.
I frankly think Wang will just wait and if he does not get what he wants he will sit tight and then ask for public $ to build just the arena.
It is embarrassing to live in one of the richest areas of the country (possibly world) and have such a dumpy arena. And have local gov’t complain about someone else footing the bill for a new arena.
After sitting in my broken seat (section 201 row A seat 1) with my feet stuck to the floor in the dump sat night it is time to tell Nassau GO SCRATCH! Charles sell to the Wilpons or move them yourself to Queens. Hey Kate go back to your life time supply of twinkies.
Joe in Riverside, if the Isles sold out every game, including the playoffs, they would lose money. Most new arena’s are tied with outer development. The Phoenix Coyotes building and area is most compared with the Lighthouse Project. The Ottawa Senators had a building in the middle of nowhere and then built around it. Remember they went bankrupt 7 years ago and couldnt make payroll? Even a team that gets 17,000 in canada couldnt make money on just an arena.
For those of us who speak English -
Does this mean the team is moving - FINALLY ?
This may sound stupid and obvious, but after this press conference we will really know a lot more and our speculations will continue but based on the new comments from the contestants TOH and CW, we will be having a different discussion tomorrow.
isn’t this essentially called negotiation? what did wang expect when he rolled out his vision of abu dhabi? he couldn’t have actually thought he’d get his project approved undisturbed….he’s not that dumb. it’s unfortunate it’s taken this long to get to this point but at least the conversation is in motion, albeit painstakingly slow motion.
i am not sure how you send out an RFP on a project, a winner is selected (charles wang) and then you come back and say well thanks for the time, money and effort but this is what we want, if this was TOH’s plan all along, they should have specified this in the RFP. You dont ask for a design build and then re-design according to what you want.
isles316: good point, but my thinking was that this is Metro NYC and unlike Phoenix and Ottawa, TV/Radio and Advertising $ help support a “winning” team. But I don’t have insight to the Isles financials, so I may be wrong. But the Devils and Rangers have found a way to fund a team that is at the salary cap.
Just move to Queens already, this is becomming very annoying.
Why is Kate Murray such a bully? I do not understand her behavior it is unprofessional. She is quoted as saying TOH’s plan for the site is non-negotiable. Really you can compromise a little bit in order to make it economically feasable? OK then, have the TOH, the county and the state pay for a brand new arena next to NVMC for the Isles and the tax paying people of the area. I am sure Wang would accept a brand new arena and that way you don’t have all that pesky tax generating, job creating development. What Kate? Oh, the there is no public money to build it? Then I guess maybe you need to compromise a little so Wang will spend his own money to improve the area and the lifes of everyone in it.
Chuck don’t you get it…This Lighthouse fantasy is not going to happen…plus you are not going to make any $$…This is 2010, the financial times indictate a loss for you if you continue to press the issue…Do us all a favor and sell the team to Wilpon…We have had enough already!!!
Is there anything Mangano can do to make Murray concede?
When is enough, enough?
This is BS and im sick to death hearing it drag on and on.
FU Nassau County “politicians” you play with this team like its your personal fun bag.
Charles do yourself a favor and close book on this County and move. I used to live in Suffolk and now reside in Sunnyside Queens.. Move to Brooklyn or Queens and you will see more of my money in your pocket and i dont mind that at all.
This Mickey Mouse charade has gone far enough.
how does anyone know that if the isles sold out evernight they would still lose money? i think that was under the old lease agreement with SMG…i think the Isles can MAKE money with this new deal if they sell out every game considering they keep the concessions and parking now.
If Wang has been losing 20 million a year, I understand why simply renovating the existing arena wouldn’t generate enough money to recoop his losses and become profitable. How would moving the team to Brooklyn or Queens change that? I’m under the assumption that he would just be building an arena without all the retail and housing of the Lighthouse project in Queens and sharing an arena with the Nets if Brooklyn. Can someone please explain?
miket — 100 — it was the county’s RFP, not the town’s. Taking the really long term view, that was always a possibly fatal flaw in the county’s approach: not bringing the town into the process right away. However, Kate Murray said all along that she couldn’t meet with the county or Wang on the project because she was also going to be judge and jury on the zoning application. For all the criticism of Wang, he really was the only one here who did a great deal of communicating. He had a whole PR team that went out and held 200+ public meetings. He offered to meet with Murray dozens of times and was thoroughly rejected. So maybe he’s not communicating now, but this is all a little late for Kate to start moaning about Wang’s engagement.
I always thought the “if the Isles sold out every game they’d still lose money” deal was because of the arrangement with SMG, which is no longer in force, correct? Hopefully they just straighten this out one way or another. Watching this franchise die a slow death over the last 10 years has been brutal. If they are moved anyway, it will all hardly have been worth it.
CW shold stand up at press conferenece, and say to Katie Muarry “I accept this proposal…now how much $$$ is TOH willing to put up?” If purely a private deal, needs more density to work. If TOH wants smaller, what is government going to subsisize to make it worth it to developer. no one can expect developer to commit new dollars with no expectation of profit. we don’t live in a socialist country…..yet. THis is not monopoly money.
Some of these posts are too long so sorry if I’m repeating whathas been said. Nothing is ever non-negotiable, there will be a compromise proposed
republican vs. republican? Don’t believe the hype! Mangano always thought the casino was a good idea. The T.O.H and the surrounding areas did not. So Kate, and co, will play it like they did everything they could to work with the lighthouse, while working behind the scene with Mangano so the Casino will be built and it looks like she was against it. D’Amato is happy, because being one of the more crooked polititians, he will surely get his cut. Kate can maintain her farm girl image by pretending to be against it. And finally, Wang will get enough of a piece of the action to be somewhat content. Boy, do I hate politics!
#111 you couldnt be more correct in that point but on the other hand. I would enter into that kind of deal with TOH for a subsidy. Then your gonna owe them revenue from concessions and parking and I wouldnt want that dark cloud over my team and profit margins. Just too risky. Its easier to accept defeat by selling Wilpon 49% of the team to build in Willets Point and to run parking, concessions in the like along with the Mets.
The proposed Huntington development (almost approved last week) is for 490 residential units on TEN acres, and only single lane roads for all access to the property. There is not a multi lane roadway within TWO miles of this proposed development (they are selling it as near the LIRR).
Lighthouse is the same # of units on almost 80 acres, has a parkway and three Multi lane roads on its borders. Can someone please explain this (ToH rationality) to me? Please?
i think erika has an inkling.
I’m sorry but I’m not involved in politics that much, but doesn’t murray answer to Mangano. Isn’t he a higher power. He is the whole county and she is the city. What’s going on. I’m tired of this like every other Islander fan.
And the merry-go-round continues! You would think the Nassau County Executive, a Republican, Ed Mangano would have the power to settle with another Republican official, Kate Murray. Maybe Mangano needs to call another Republican bigwig, Mr. Mondello, and get this matter settled fairly. Mr. Mangano needs to assert himself in his new position. Nassau County can’t afford to lose a professional franchise. They have had more than enough time. Time to move on.
Mr. Wang, for love of God, you have given these meatheads 7 years to work with you to keep the NYI in Nassau. Time to call the Mets and partner up with the Wilpons. Islander fans will take the train. Screw Nassau. Queens wants you to come and will work fairly with you. Stop being being stubborn and do whats best for your team and your fans. Come on!
we are the dumb ones who elect these people lol What the heck is the TOH people thinking letting this women do whatever she wants. The amount of jobs and money this project can bring to the TOH alone could be huge.
This project has very little to do with the Islanders and everything to do with a grand real estate development deal (I know thank you captain obvious). Wang has not moved the team to Queens, or anywhere else in North America, because he would not get anywhere near the real estate deal he is looking to get on Long Island. Nowhere else would they offer him the opportunity to build his mini city. Maybe they could do something on a much lesser scale in Queens but he doesn’t appear to be willing to compromise his dream just yet. On the surface I like the idea and overall vision of the Lighthouse project, however, that ship appears to have sailed and it’s time to move forward with plan B. The idea that all this money would be spent and we still wouldn’t get a new arena out of the deal (refurbished bs) has always bothered me anyway. We’ll see how much Wang truly cares about the Islanders staying on LI/NY based on his reaction to not getting the development deal he had hoped for. Have we come to the point where billionaire owners are going to demand lucrative real estate deals as leverage to keeping a sports franchise in a given area. I would hope thats not what this is about but I have my doubts.
Easy solution: Mangano and the county, as owners of the property, come to a deal with the Shinnecock Nation, which I believe, since the Shinnecocks have been recognized by the Feds as sovereign, removes the TOH and its zoning laws from the equation. The deal includes development for Wang and ongoing revenues to County. Everyone wins except Kate Murray and TOH.
Oh boy. I was born and raised in Nassau county and as a little kid growing up in the 80′ I was aware of their presence in the community. While it will be sad to see them leave, I think it’s time. we are all Islanders is true and even a move to Queens will not change that.
Lets’ go already. In tandem with the Mets, the Islanders will be able to have more exposure. I think it is a great option. Imo Suffolk co. will not work.It is too far away. You will be relying on mostly suffolk ppl going to games to fill the seats.
How long before the Canadian media descend on this story like a pack of wolves and have our team up for sale by the end of the day/week? Thank you Kate Murray and the TOH. I am still laughing at the maintaining the suburban character quote.
Fix up the barn, Wang gets a piece of everything under new lease , simply put a winning product on the ice and he will make money. Either that or Willets Point here we come , I would sign on for season tix again in a heartbeat.
C. Botta how about a “Move the team” rally outside the coliseum on opening night?
Mr. Wang, if you are reading this, I’m a die-hard Islander fan who was born and raised in Nassau & moved to Queens 10 years ago. I’ve worked in Brooklyn and Manhattan for the past 13+ years and know hockey fans from all 5 boros, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, and LI. I’m very passionate about this team and cherish them above my Yankees & Jets. I don’t think you realize the potential of moving to Queens or even Brooklyn. At the very least, you have the satisfaction of telling that cow to shove it. I hope to see you soon in a fancy car riding down the Canyon of Heros next to Okposo, Tavarez, and the Cup in the best city in the world. Thanks for your dedication & patients with the team.
Funny that in the past five years, the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Devils and Nets have all gotten into new buildings, yet our Islanders, by far the least relevant of this group in the grand scheme of the sports world, sit rotting in the Mausoleum. Pathetic that this franchise is being used as a pawn in this political game.
Ha ha I love comment number 9…. Hempstead Tpke– a real paradise in suburbia!!
Charles Wang needs to speak now - its been way to long since we heard his thoughts
So is it correct to believe that if Wang and Rechler, Mangano and the Shinnecocks all got together and decided they want a joint venture, Murray and the Town Board would have absolutely NO say in the matter? That they could build WHATEVER they wanted on the site? If that is indeed the case, Wang should consider it. Not that I think a casino is the best idea, but, at this point, NOTHING should be dismissed.
Queens here we come…Good riddance. The NVMC has not been a pleasant experience for over 25 years..A new building 15 miles west.
Good bye TOH,you dont deserve the Isles. D’amato and his crooks can develop this land the same way they stole and developed the Roosevelt Raceway area. Makes me sick the corruption this town has dealt for decades now.
Do the math. At an average ticket price of $40 with a sellout every nite for 40 or so games, the Isles stand to make $20 mm. With Concessions and parking an aggressive estimate is another $15 mm. The Cable contract pays what? 5mm?
Thats before payroll…
I believe Wang…I don’t see how this team makes money on an arena without a significant corporate luxury box presence(which is a heckuva lot tougher in Nassau than New Jersey), some significant alternative revenue streams and a deep, deep playoff run.
Either we go to Queens or WE GO TO WAR! Come on you Long Island wimps, STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR WHATS RIGHT! If you don’t private enterprise loses & the fascists & the commies win. This is not just a fight for our Islanders but for the future of our island & country. The RINOS in TOH must GO! Where are the TEAPARTY PEOPLE! No matter your politics, I ask you; What would: Washington,Adams,Jefferson,Madison,Lincoln,T.Roosevelt,F.Roosevelt,Truman,Kennedy,& Reagan do. I bet they would fight not just lay down & die no matter how long it took. Do we have it in us?
I have ridden this roller coaster long enough…I wouldn’t care if they were in last place…as long as their was some stability…but just tired of not knowing if they are going to be LI, Queens, Sasacatoon or Kansas City…once and for all enough is enough
See you in queens in 2016!!!!
Tell me again how a Town Supervisor can tell Nassau County what they can do with their land and how the Developer can spend his money? I am still lost here, it would be like a Production Assistant going up to James Cameron and saying, “Ya know what, I know you told me otherwise, but we are going to go with claymation intead of CGI here…it’s way more reasonable.”
So does Wang just refuse any conpromise and end the LP bid, or does he start to negotiate??? Just move the Islanders to QUEENS already!!!
the original plan is way too big. we are all homers because we want the project to improve the product on the ice. the lighthouse project really would disturb the suburbian landscape and lifestyle in mid nassau county.
Maybe now Wang finally realizes that the people of TOH do not want his grandiose buildings casting shadows over three counties in their backyard. Maybe they are right, maybe they are wrong, but it is THEIR community. Once your lease expires, feel free to move the team and sucker some other community into giving into your demands. If you move to Queens, it will make it easier for your largest block of customers-Rangers and Canadiens fans who follow their team- to see a game.
While I support a move away from Hempstead, I think it’s naive to assume that a move to Queens (if it’s even possible–we don’t know that yet for sure) would somehow eliminate politics from the equation. For those who are tempted to suggest that developing land in Suffolk would mean less political haggling–can you say Pilgrim State?
If you’ve been following the TSN series on how prepared non-NHL cities in Canada are to take on a franchise, you can appreciate the attractiveness of that option; the cities/provinces take it as a given that the hockey team gets what it needs. When you can have hockey heaven, why would you languish in Hempstead?
For those who don’t get it… Murray said in the article she didn’t consider economic viability. So, you plan how someone else should spend their $$ without considering it’s economic viability? For those who think smaller is better… Are you willing to fork over more $$ to have the arena built? Don’t you get after losing anywhere from $70-200 mil, depending on who u listen to, investing another $200 mil minimum on a new or refurbished arena requires some $$ coming back? And a sold out coli will never be enough for that? The Devils did not pay a dime for their arena so no comparison there… Public funds. Please please get real. Stop spewing the ToH bs about this. It’s sad to see so many Isles fans not understand this point!
get the hell out of surburbia and into the city
“last time I checked Nassau County had a total of around 5 million ” where did you get your numbers from sea cliff. that would make nassau county more populated then queens and brooklyn combined. last census i checked you had around 1.8 million in the county. regardless the only way to make a profit is atleast 75% of lhp, queens suffolk brooklyn with help from tax payers money, or unfortunately a new city. if kc or some canadian team get the isles what do us islanders fans do. can’t root for the rags can’t root for the stinking jersey team. maybe we should just look for the next dieing hockey franchise and root for them. until any of it happens i just keep rooting for my isles and hope for the bests.
Islanders are done with Nassau go to Suffolk Wang. Then Willets point. See what levy has to offer
The incompetence of elected officials never seems to amaze. On the scale of things, Kate seems just as hopeless as Bush’s SR & Jr, Bill&Hilary “Healthcare” Clinton and BParack Obama. Over-promise & under-deliver - there’s a campaign platform we can TRULY believe in.
Yea lets put a casino in Hempstead, better yet make it a shopping mall, Because Uniondale is such a beautiful area anyway hahahaha, What a joke, just move to Queens
If you don’t think that Mangano has known for weeks or longer what the TOH plan was going to be you’re crazy. He’s just coming out now to save face and say that at least he tried to keep the Islanders here. And of course he’s way too late. Its total BS. He didn’t say a word about the Lighthouse Project during the election process and his silence made it obvious he was toting the party line. Politicians make me sick.
For those criticizing Wang’s proposal as too big and ambitious I ask you this-Was this nation founded upon thinking small? Overthrow the British empire? Thats too ambitious, think smaller, maybe petition for fairer conditions. Mr. Alexander Graham Bell, that telephone idea is a bit too ambitious. Harness atomic energy before the Germans? That might be a tall order to fill so why bother? Let’s think smaller. Wang isn’t proposing we convert LI to NYC. This isn’t a development group pushing people out of their homes, leveling them and putting up skyscrapers. We’re talking about an undeveloped eyesore filled with hookers and drugs.
Hey at least the WP project does not include parking space as development space. Charles move the team to Queens and build WP with the Mets.
Everything Kate has put her hands on has decayed. All of her parks are falling apart. The counties ice rinks are a mess. Leaky roofs, filthy bathrooms,etc. Eisnhower park is a dump and un-maintained! Drive through downtown Hempstead, and all I see is inner city blight. They all drive through it to get to work each morning at Town Hall but yet are blind to the mess they allowed it to become. Kate has blinders on and only has her personal agenda to take care of. The development of the Nassau Coliseum property is of the utmost importance to Nassau County. If Kate lets Wang walk, no one will turn that land around, ever! It is a vacant parking lot with a Veterans Memorial ready to collapse with major structual, plumbing, electrical, sewer, and health issues. Kate needs to wake up, or the Coliseum will be lost forever!
here’s what i just sent to the ToH -
I just read the press release and Ms. Murray definately has a future in stand up comedy. I wish I lived in Nassau County so I could have voted against her and got the whole lot of them out of office…and I’m a republican! I hope Ed Mangano can save this project b/c it’s quite obvious the ToH has no interest in saving it.
i love the idea of a casino (not being sarcastic) moheegan is gorgeous, foxwoods is fun and a great place… maybe they need wang’s approval and he gets a cut of the action and there you go… the isles can lose money even winning a stanley cup and wang makes money as he was promised 10 years ago and everyone’s happy
its crazy to me that the lowest level of government in the country is keeping this development project from breaking ground. town supervisor?? thats barely 1 step above PTA president!! the county needs to pull rank on that awful kate murray and say this is how its going down. deal with it.
So… now what?
BYE-LANDERS,DONE, OVA We all can blame corrupt Kate Murry for Killing the Islanders! SHe never cared about us. The Ranjerks will use our OLD building for their minor league team…JUST WATCH. We’re History. 72-’15 Rip.
This is really funny. A scaled down proposal by the TOH would work because if the Isles win, people come, period! In the mid ’70’s to mid 80’s, they sold out, you know why? No, not because there were low cost housing there & those residents bought the tickets, it was because of a winning team. This scaled down version will make CW a billionaire 10 times over instead of the original plan that would have made him a billionaire 20 times over. Just greed; shame on you Charles Wang for playing us Islander Fans, shame on you!!
Islanders will never leave the metropolitan area. NO way. Wang doesn’t want that. The county doesn’t want that. Most importantly, the NHL won’t allow it period.
The fan base is there, the Isles just need to be good enough to contend and be relevant again.
is anyone really suprised. best of all. its our tax money that gets wasted for these revised plans by kate murray. Better off realizing this would happening and saving it hit u in our tax revs.
#157 Valentino, the metropolitan area is larger than LI, and Queens has become the #1 option after today…
Comparing today’s dilemma to the Isles of the 70’s-80’s is ridiculous. You cannot compare revenue/expenses from 30 yrs ago! I love how Wang is greedy!? It’s his team, he didnt buy it to be a tax write-off.
Gary Bettman grew up as an Isles fan. He doesn’t want them to leave, and I’m pretty sure he isn’t going to let them move. I think that there are plenty of areas for the Isles to go, who knows what Wang will do. Hope for the best.
Just sell to the Russian Billionaire already and they’ll be playing in Brooklyn in 2 years, and don’t worry he’ll be able to pay any penalties incurred for breaking the lease. Just imagine Garth Snow biggest problem: staying UNDER the salary cap.
One can dream, No?
Valentino — #157 — the Quebec Nordiques were good. Very good. They were also very relevant. Yet in 1995, they moved to Colorado, because they were in a lousy building that only now is being replaced. They promptly won the Stanley Cup. The corollary to the Islanders is scary…even with the prospect of it all coming full circle as the Islanders find a buyer willing to take them to what is going to be a new top-notch arena in Quebec City.
LOL. I can’t believe there are actually people on here who are touting the “suburban lanscape” of Uniondale in a non-satirical fashion. Talk about delusions of grandeur–I think it’s people like that who are delusional, not Wang. He wants to reshape the face of Nassau County and make it something worthwhile, instead of another wasteland with faceless strip malls, a dime a dozen. It’s just sad that people are so against progress.
You really think his plan is feasible? When asked at last years’ hearings about affordable housing, his idea was 2200.00 per month as low income housing, who is going to pay that for low coast housing. Also, when asked about his plan to alleviate potential traffic problems that his project would create, his ‘experts’ at the hearing proposed ‘timed traffic lights for Hempstead Tpke, despite an estimate of 3500 more cars per rush hour his office complexes would generate. Come on folks, as pure fans we want them to stay, but what will be the cost to the surrounding areas? There is more to this than the state of Uniondale, so that is a lame answer. Progress at all costs, of progress with compromise? I think CW is done here.
LOL, I’m laughing my butt off at the posts suggesting Wang sell the team to the Wilpons! Isn’t that like taking a step sideways? Have they not screwed up the Mets enough with stupid management decisions? They’re just as clueless as Wang. Boy I hope he doesn’t sell to the Wilpons.
“Suburban landscape” I just can’t stop laughing at the fact that the area is being touted as such. Has anyone that says that ever actually driven around the coliseum area? I’m from a REAL suburban area and I’ll tell you this, it doesn’t look ANYTHING like the area around the coliseum, it’s actually beautiful with no parking lots, no run down buildings, no garbage on the side of the road, no drug dealers a mile away hanging out on the corner, and no prostitutes.
Valentino on Jul 12th, 2010 15:21:33 said: “Islanders will never leave the metropolitan area… Most importantly, the NHL won’t allow it period.”
i’m not sure why you think this but there have always been nhl people who have thought the ny market is saturated and wanted one of the 3 moved up north, for instance back to quebec or to hamilton. until the devils started winning in the 90’s they were the likliest option.
now?
uhhh, yeah. Im just sick and tired of the Isles being the punchline to a never-ending joke. Love the Isles more than any team in any sport, but when will the madness stop?
The facts: Kate Murray is a buffoon and a puppet. Mangano is on Wangs side for now, but whats in it for him? This should be a fun process to watch in the months ahead.
Here is what is the most unfair part about this whole process. Right wrong or indifferent:
Isles fans came out last summer in support of the Lighthouse for all the hearings, etc and to this point have nothing to show for it to this point. That is the worst part of of it all.
The only thing that’s ineveitable is Garth Snow’s comments to Paul Martin’s agent…
The Isles will be playing at Nassau Coliseum for 5 MORE YEARS.
Everything else is speculation at best. This is all that Islander fans can look forward to at this point.
Fans are owed a response from Mr. Wang and some type of plan. Five more years of silence is just a HUGE slap in the face.
I know this is a sidebar,but it pertains to the Islanders plight.Today the city of Indianapolis agreed to pay the Indiana Pacers $10 million a year for 3 years and $3.5 million for improvements to the 11 year old Conseco Fieldhouse arena.{The Simon Brothers real estate company that owns Roosevelt Field and the Source Mall owns the Indiana Pacers]Apparently the possible loss to the City of Indianapolis of the Pacers is forcing this drastic action.Hopefully Ed Mangano does not want his legacy stained by the the loss of the Islanders.The borough of Brooklyn suffered both financially and psychologically for years with the loss of the Brooklyn Dodgers.Kate Murray I am afraid to say along with Councilmen Santino.Joseph Mondelo and Al D’Amato could care less about the NY Islanders.Imagine with a brand new arena in Willets Point what the value of the NY Islanders franchise will be.
This was all expected. They will meet in the middle and build 75% of Wang’s original proposal. It’s negotiation. Kate says its not open to negotiation, but that doesn’t mean squat. Everyone and everything is always open to negotiation.
Politics at work n all of us suffer and not to mention nassau county will eventually suffer. As an Isles fan I dont care what everyone says about Ranger fans going to manhattan to see them play, going to queens by train is a much different story. I would not want to go to queens 20 times a year to see them play… call me a bad fan but I see a lot more of people on that side of the fence than onces that will go to queens. Gotta be suffolk.
Mangano knows that nassau county is screwed without the isles, but is now realizing it is a very strong possibility now.
Nah,nah,nah,nah,nah,nah….hey,hey,GOODBYE!!
The fact that Katie noted to the press that this was non-negotiable displays that she is in way over her head. She is totally unfit to play with the big boys and is being coached by a bunch of republican idiots. why would she announce to the press this is non-negotiable? Makes no business sense.
Hope we don’t have to wait another 9 months before we here something positive. TOH knew this would not fly and they tried to put a positive spin. The only compromise would have been meeting in the middle which the TOH has no interest in.
Hope we don’t have to wait another 9 months before we here something positive. TOH knew this would not fly and they tried to put a positive spin. The only compromise would have been meeting in the middle which the TOH has no interest in.
Wang, please just sell the team, we want an owner who cares about the team and a brand new building. We are sick of hearing about not getting top notch players because of a building thats old and falling apart that you just want to renovate ( yes this is all he is doing for the Islanders renovating). Then you complain about the housing and retail space around it you want??? Your losing money due to your poor decisions and not whats around the building. If you want more money go complain to Milbury who waste your money and our time.
Coming from someone who is anti-Lighthouse on this, even I have to admit that Murray is just grandstanding now. just come out and tell Wang no so we can move on with whatever plan B is. All this does is start another six month cycle where Wang will counter propose, she will then adjust it, etc.
Us fans are in the middle of this mess, because until this is resolved the team is in a permament limbo, with no payroll , a crappy arena and prices that rival the top teams of the NHL
Opening Night Chant: KATE MURRAY SUCKS!!!!!