Letters to the Rockville Centre Herald - July 28, 2011

He’ll reluctantly vote ‘yes’ on Coliseum

To the Editor:

For numerous reasons, I’m not a fan of County Executive Ed Mangano’s administration. But that doesn’t mean I’m voting “no” on Aug. 1. To the contrary, I am voting “yes,” and I urge everyone else to do so as well.

Yes, Easy Ed’s plan lacks details, and it looks as if taxpayers will be on the hook, at least in the short term. But voting “no” would mean that the Islanders would leave the decrepit Coliseum in 2015. That’s a loss of 41 events — home games — per year. I don’t think you can replace that with Disney on Ice, boat shows and the Wiggles. Nor will Nassau County receive a new major league sports franchise to play at the Coliseum. (The Nets are committed to Brooklyn, and do you think the NHL will grant Nassau a second chance after this fiasco?)

In addition, if the Coliseum isn’t renovated shortly, top concert draws will choose to play the metropolitan area by performing at the newly renovated Madison Square Garden and the brand new Prudential Center. That may ultimately be the death knell for the Coliseum. And without the Coliseum, who will stay at the Marriott? And what happens to all the people who are employed at the Coliseum and the Marriott? Many of them will have to resort to social welfare agencies, which are supported by our tax dollars, resulting in possible increases there. How do you replace the revenue the Coliseum generates for the county? Won’t that leave a gaping hole in budgets for years to come?

I’d love it if a private developer stepped up and paid for the whole project. But Kate Murray put the kibosh on Charles Wang’s Lighthouse project, and no other developer has stepped up to say they can build a new Coliseum and make a profit using Kate’s guidelines. If Jay Jacobs knows of one, let him tell us who that is, and quit playing partisan politics.

Jacobs and the Nassau County Democratic Committee had a chance to unseat Kate Murray in 2009, and possibly elect a presiding supervisor for the Town of Hempstead who would have done a better job negotiating private financing for the Coliseum/Lighthouse. But the Democrats couldn’t find a viable candidate, and Kate garnered more than 65 percent of the vote. So, Jay, quit crying over the past and look to Nassau’s future, without partisan political glasses. Nassau needs the Islanders, the Coliseum, the Marriott. Is this the best plan? Hardly. But you have to give Easy Ed credit for grasping the reality and putting a plan forward that will keep all three here and viable.

Got a better idea, Jay? Let’s hear it. Do you want us to gamble that the Democrats will put up a winning candidate in 2013, and this new supervisor will be able to negotiate a deal with Wang in less than two years, get the shovels in the ground and convince the Islanders to stay beyond their lease until the new building is completed? An awful lot of “ifs” in there, Jay. What else you got? Don’t stand on the sidelines, toss bricks and just say “no” to this idea. If you have an alternative, Jay, let’s hear it. Now. Before we vote. But if you had a good idea, you’d have put it forward by now, for the good of the county. So you got nothin’.

Vote yes on Monday — it’s all we have.

Marc Wieman

Rockville Centre

Support the Coliseum redevelopment plan

To the Editor:

It is disgraceful that Nassau County Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs understates and misrepresents the value of investing in the redevelopment of the Nassau Coliseum.

Should you agree with Jacobs and vote “no,” the Islanders will likely move to the new Barclays Arena in Brooklyn at the conclusion of their lease, taking thousands of jobs and tax revenue with them. The absence of a major league team utilizing the property will only increase the likelihood that it will be developed as a casino.

Jacobs blindly supported former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi’s unrealistic Lighthouse project, which was estimated to cost more then $5 billion to build. The Town of Hempstead had genuine reservations about the impact of a mixed-use facility on the existing infrastructure — garbage, water, sewers and school systems. While this deal was always marketed as private capital, it was not realistic, as Reckson Associates would have had to raise the money in a capital market and a commercial real estate market that both remain challenged.

Unlike the unrealistic Lighthouse plan, the redevelopment plan championed by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, while neither perfect nor without risks, is both realistic and viable. In exchange for shared rights to the surrounding 77 acres of county property, Islanders owner Charles Wang has agreed to backstop all the potential overrun costs in excess of $350 million, protecting the taxpayer.

President Obama, Vice President Biden and Governor Cuomo, along with Mangano, all support the creation of jobs to stimulate the economy. Published reports indicate that Long Island experienced the biggest year-over-year job loss in the past 16 months. With many people struggling to make ends meet, with many unemployed people living check-to-check and concerned about losing their homes, the Coliseum redevelopment could serve as a catalyst for economic activity, spurring investment, creating jobs, employing thousands of people and providing enhanced revenue resources for Nassau County.

Finally, both Barclays Arena in Brooklyn and Citi Field in Queens obtained $400 million in naming rights. This opportunity has not been included in any of the economic projections to date. In both deals, the sponsor agreed to pay $20 million a year for 20 years. If you assume the redeveloped Coliseum could obtain as much as $15 million a year for the first 10 years, the redevelopment plan looks like a very attractive investment for Nassau County taxpayers.

On Monday, I urge every Nassau County resident to vote “yes” and support this worthy investment in Nassau County’s future. The proposal is the best viable solution given our options. It ensures that we retain the Islanders, provides us with a minor league baseball stadium, creates thousands of jobs and promotes economic vitality for Nassau County.

Michael P. Mulhall

Rockville Centre