Las Vegas Sands Has New Lease To Take Over Nassau Hub Land
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UNIONDALE, NY — Despite opposition from elected leaders and civic groups, Nassau County is set to keep the wheels in motion for a casino at the Hub site.
Las Vegas Sands Corp. reached a new lease deal with the county. The details were expected to be a "large, lump sum payment not contingent on securing a state gaming license," according to Newsday.
County Executive Bruce Blakeman said the "historic" agreement is "subject to the approval of the Nassau County Legislature."
The deal will allow Sands to develop the former Coliseum into a "world-class hotel, a world-class entertainment center and that is going to be funded by a casino," Blakeman said.
Annual revenues to the county, Town of Hempstead and surrounding communities, are expected to be $100 million a year, Newsday reported.
However, leading the charge against the casino is "Say No to the Casino Civic Association," which said it will economically hurt neighboring communities.
"Crime goes up, family addiction and problem gambling rates go up, property values of the neighboring communities go down," Allison O'Brien Silva told Patch earlier this month.
Blakeman, though, thinks "this operation here in the central part of Nassau County will be a catalyst for a revival of all of our communities."
In Garden City, Mayor Mary Carter Flanagan and the board of trustees passed a resolution last week going on the record in opposition to the casino project.
"Our grave concerns about the negative impact such development would have on the village prompted us to unanimously pass the following resolution."
The concerns include quality of life, lack of security and a rise in traffic.
But Blakeman in Wednesday's news conference said the hotel/casino "will bring jobs, economic prosperity, tax relief and improved safety here in Nassau County,"
