As Las Vegas Sands drops Nassau County casino bid, grassroots group claims victory
The competition for a Downstate New York casino license is getting thinner after Las Vegas Sands unexpectedly pulled the plug on a $6 billion plan for Long Island's Nassau Coliseum.
While some say the end of the casino deal is a win, the Nassau County executive said there's interest from other bidders.
Las Vegas Sands ends Long Island casino bid
After years of legal battles, noisy public hearings and environmental reviews, Las Vegas Sands suddenly dropping its casino bid took many by surprise.
"This is a good day. This is a positive change. We are not taking our foot off the gas though, until those licenses have been awarded elsewhere," George Krug, with the grassroots movement "Say No to the Casino" said.
Krug and his wife, Lynn, along with their civic association, the Village of Garden City and Hofstra University, led the fight against a casino on Nassau Coliseum property.
"We went after the environmental impact statement with a fine-tooth comb. We know that it will affect the aquifer and the air pollution, light pollution, the volume of cars," Lynn Krug said.
Sands still "very interested" in developing Nassau Coliseum site, county executive says
In its statement, Las Vegas Sands said the economic climate and online gambling played roles, but that it would try to secure an agreement from a third party to bid for a casino at the site.
"I want to make sure that everybody is assured that whether we go forward with a casino or not a casino, Sands is very interested in continuing the development of the site," County Executive Bruce Blakeman said.
Two years ago, Blakeman brokered the deal to give Sands a 42-year operating lease for the $6 billion plan, which included a hotel, housing and entertainment.
Blakeman said he's hearing from new possible bidders from Asia and Europe.
"But it will all crystallize within the next 30 days as to whether or not we have another casino operator," the Republican executive said.
County Legislator Seth Koslow, the Democrat who wants Blakeman's job, sent a cease and desist directive, referring to the "now-failed casino project."
"But at this point, it's time to stop wasting our time, energy, resources and our tax dollars," Koslow said.
New York set a June 27 deadline for casino companies and development partners to submit applications. A decision on who is awarded the three coveted downstate casino licenses will be made by the end of the year.
Some of the other proposed casino sites include Coney Island, Hudson Yards, Citi Field and Times Square.
