2:54 pm: Here is the link of the webstream. http://nassaucountyny.iqm2.com/Citizens/Default.aspx#
I don't have much time as I have quite a few things to do here at home, so this will be filled with typos and hopefully passion.
Tomorrow there is a meeting with the Nassau Leg. and the committee of builders from that "Association for a Better Long Island" or as I like to call them -- the guys who lost out the first time to Charles Wang to build at the Hub. Yeah, them. The guys who really believe THEY have the right answer as to what Long Island needs and according to them -- it doesn't mean they need the Islanders.
According to an exceptionally well written article by Chris Botta who decided to step back into his Islanders Point Blank space these ...
"Three of the leading men with the plan to develop the Coliseum are influential members of the Association For A Better Long Island. You remember the ABLI, the group that spent a lot of money and influence campaigning against the Aug. 1 referendum."
Yes, they spent a ton of money because they HAVE a ton of money. Know how they GOT that ton of money? Property. And as far as I can tell from the two paltry articles written in Newsday (no offense Randi Marshall who is doing a good job covering the politics of Nassau) this team is anxious to make money off the property development just as everyone accused Charles Wang of.
They're proposing a renovation to the Coliseum, but don't really care if the Isles stay or not. They want to build plenty of stores (just like all those that are empty) and have proposed an exhibition hall on Mitchell Field.
The Long Island board of tourism has been begging for a convention center for years. We need one. But (and I could be wrong as these articles don't exactly go into depth) they aren't proposing housing but resevering 25 acres for future use. For like what? HOUSING? The same thing that the Lighthouse project wanted to give Long Island along with Long Island's only professional sports team.
Okay, look. I'm not getting into a pissing match with every ex-blog-boxer in town (yeah, I'm talking to you BD) as to why the fans should care. I'm saying that if we don't care, we'll ultimately lose.
No, the Islanders organization is not saying a word about this. Okay, it's their perogative not to. After all, the ABLI made sure the referrendum didn't pass so I guess they're thinking that hey... maybe it is time to leave.
As Mr. Botta says, many municipalities from all over are indeed ringing them up. So, if you want to show these developers that indeed, the Islanders ARE important to Long Island either show up tomorrow at the Nassau Leg buiding at 2 pm or go online to webstream the proceedings. Then we'll take it from there.
Because we only have so much time before a decision needs to be made, and as Mr. Botta eloquently put it:
Nassau, of course, is not out of the running. But 40 years after the Coliseum opened, 30 years after the dynasty, and 15 years after the Gulotta-Milstein fiasco, what was once thought impossible could actually happen. The Islanders could leave Nassau County. The Islanders could leave New York.
Anyone want that?
Let me rephrase that... ANY ISLANDER FAN WANT THAT?
Point Blank web address: http://www.islanderspointblank.com/2012/02/while-nassau-fiddles-with-another-meeting-wang-is-listening-to-offers-from-municipalities-in-new-york-and-elsewhere/
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