Blakeman says texts prove collusion between Hofstra, casino competitor

Bruce Blakeman is determined to prove Hofstra University president Susan Poser — an outspoken critic of plans to add a casino as part of the Nassau Hub redevelopment in Uniondale — has worked with a competing casino bid in Queens to derail plans by the Las Vegas Sands to come to Long Island.

And now the Nassau County executive says he has proof — so much, in fact, he’s demanding Poser resign.

The county last month compelled Poser to appear before the county legislature in Mineola to talk about discussions she may have had with people associated with Hard Rock International — which wants a downstate license to open a casino near Citi Field. While a court delayed her appearance, it did leave the door open for Poser to still turn over any communication she may have had with those associated with Hard Rock.

Blakeman told reporters Thursday the subpoena revealed a series of text messages between Poser and Robert McBride, a Long Island business consultant Blakeman says ultimately served as a middleman for communication between Poser and Hard Rock.

Poser reportedly sent a text to McBride in response to a New York Post story detailing Hard Rock’s bid to construct a casino in the parking lot of Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets. Poser responded that the news “made her day,” and asked McBride, “How can we help him and vice versa?”

McBride reportedly told Poser he made inquiries, but that “most players in this space” are being “cautious,” as to not be accused of unfair business practices.

In another text exchange between the two, Poser sends another Post story to McBride, pointing out that Stuart Rabinowitz — Poser’s predecessor who retired from Hofstra in 2021 — holds one of three seats on the state Gaming Facility Location Board, which will ultimately decide who will get the three licenses up for grabs to operate a downstate casino.

The Post story speculated Rabinowitz’s involvement on the board could be trouble for Sands, since Hofstra’s official position remains being opposed to the casino coming to Nassau. McBride told Poser he hopes Newsday would pick up the story “with a twist.”

Poser added that “someone needs to tell Steve Cohen” — who is leading the Hard Rock bid — “that it is actually in his best interest to agree with them,” adding that it would make Cohen “appear gallant and help himself at the same time.”

McBride simply responded “Done!”

“A consultant taking orders from the president of Hofstra University — and communicating with Hard Rock on her behalf — that is what we are dealing with,” Nassau County Legislator John Ferretti told reporters at Thursday’s news conference.

But Hofstra asserts the county executive is blowing the conversation between Poser and McBride out of proportion.

“The text messages shared by County Executive Blakeman reflect informal reactions to press articles with Hofstra University’s consultant, and confirm the lack of merit to the legislature’s ‘investigation,’” a university spokeswoman said in a statement. “Hofstra University continues to believe that the public has a right to participate in decision-making about redevelopment plans for the Nassau Hub. If Nassau County wished to embrace those principles, Nassau County would simply restart the process before the planning commission and the legislature, as ordered by the court.”

The current round between Hofstra and Nassau County stems from a subpoena issued to Poser last month after Blakeman described an email from Michael McKeon — a reported lobbyist for Hard Rock — to the Florida organization’s senior vice president, Sean Caffery, as well as Michael Sullivan, who works for an asset management company purportedly connected to Cohen, a Mets majority shareholder. It was there McKeon reportedly sent a link to a news story about the casino efforts, explaining to Caffery and Sullivan that it “speaks to Sands’ efforts to control the site,” adding he will be “checking with Hofstra to see if they will oppose this move.”

At the time, Blakeman called the email evidence Hofstra and Hard Rock were working together to hinder plans by Sands.

All of that came after Hofstra was successful in a lawsuit against the county that seemingly will force Mineola officials to restart the public process to finalize a lease with Sands, citing the meetings were not properly notified.

“We have now seen the result of our accumulation of information as a result of the County legislature’s subpoenas,” Blakeman said. “And they are very troubling. They completely misled and lied to the public.”

Blakeman says that Poser can now expect further subpoenas as a result of these new findings.

“If they are against all of the things they claim to be against — and all of the concerns they had — they certainly weren’t concerned about students in Queens,” Blakeman said, referring to efforts to support the Citi Field bid for Hard Rock.

“Any statement or suggestion — directly, indirectly or otherwise that McBride Consulting has engaged in any improper conduct is absolutely untrue,” McBride Consulting told the Herald in a statement.