A new vision for the Coliseum, Belmont

Local leaders last week announced a plan that would ensure brighter futures for Belmont Park and the New York Islanders, potentially bring thousands of jobs to Long Island and likely create hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, Islanders owner Charles Wang and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray spoke to hundreds of local residents at a press conference the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, on Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale, announcing an Economic Development and Job Creation Plan. It includes the construction of a world-class sports and entertainment center to replace the aging Coliseum — a $350 million hockey arena for the Islanders and a $50 million minor league baseball stadium.

“Redeveloping the Hub is critical to creating jobs in our county and stimulating the local economy,” Mangano said, adding that he will leave the ultimate decision on the plan up to county residents. “With the support of business and community leaders, I am advancing a countywide public referendum,” he said. “This referendum will allow residents to decide whether we should build a sports-entertainment destination at the site of Nassau Coliseum that retains our Islanders, construct a minor league ballpark and create thousands of jobs.”

Mangano said the arena would bring in hundreds of thousands of revenue dollars, which would be reinvested in the county. A percentage of the revenue would be shared by the Islanders pursuant to a contract, he added.

The plan — for an estimated $400 million bond issue — would be put to a countywide vote on Aug. 1. If residents approve it, construction could begin in 2012, and the new arena would open no later than 2015.

Mangano also announced that, as part of the plan, Belmont Park in Elmont has become the county’s preferred destination for a casino, following discussions by local officials that began over a year ago and prominent mention by Mangano in his State of the County address on April 11. Over the past month, state and county officials have discussed two possible locations for the casino, which would be a taxpayer-backed, mixed-use development: the Coliseum, and Belmont Park.

The Coliseum would have been a “darkened, empty home for a casino” and would have lost money for the county, Mangano said. He added that the county, along with State Sens. Jack Martins (R-Elmont) and Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), would be entering negotiations with the Shinnecock Indian tribe to open a casino at Belmont.

Mangano was joined at the press conference by Shinnecock Tribal Chairman Randy King, who said, “The Shinnecock Nation has always made clear that we are ready to partner with communities that want to partner with us, in both Nassau and Suffolk counties, as we pursue economic opportunities for our people that also provide jobs for our neighbors. We welcome the support from Nassau County Executive Mangano and Sens. Skelos and Martins. We are prepared to discuss siting a facility at Belmont with the state, the local community and all the stakeholders there.”

The Shinnecock tribe received federal recognition last year — a requirement for casino operation. “With recent federal recognition of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, a casino on Long Island is likely,” Mangano said. “It is important that Nassau taxpayers benefit from thousands of jobs and millions in annual revenue a casino will generate for the state and county. Belmont Park is ideal for such a facility.” He added that the casino would be an economic boom for the western end of Nassau County.

“Elmont and other local communities will greatly benefit from the dollars generated by a casino at Belmont Park,” Skelos said. “Now is the time to jump-start our economy and create jobs at both Belmont Park and Nassau Coliseum.”

Muzzio Tallini, a Franklin Square resident who attended the press conference, said he is glad to finally see a consensus that Belmont Park is the best place for a casino in Nassau County. “I’m glad that everyone now believes in what everyone’s been saying all along,” he said.

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