Ed Mangano's Memorandum of Understanding

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/30/2010 11:36:00 AM |
Updated 5/1:

Disclaimer:

Ed Mangano was quoted earlier this week that a Casino project would be " in addition " to the Lighthouse Project.

He then also was quoted as saying a Shinnecock Nation Casino "is a very real alternative" to the LH.
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I have to admit, I did not see this coming.

Someone with less patience than Howard Milstein who may give Tom Gulotta a run for his money?

Folks actually knocked Charles Wang for a lack of patience after waiting for about eight plus year?

Apparently new Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano from his first days in office, decided to create his own Memorandum of Understanding with himself. In that understanding, he decided to forget who was awarded the right to develop the Coliseum property in an open bidding and started immediate negotiations with someone else.

Mr Mangano has also apparently decided in his understanding to save the millions Wang-Rechler invested for traffic/water/misc consultants. There will not be two hundred plus community meetings to inform the public if a Shinnecock Nation Casino is to break ground next summer.

All the issues that held up the LH are now positives for the community, according to the new Nassau Executive.

Meanwhile the usual lip-service about saving the Isles is thrown in at the end like the team simply does not matter. Mangano clearly is not in favor of the LH project vs a Casino as a destination spot.

Al D'Amato even stopped in for a chat and took a few digs at the LH, we all know where he stands.

Can't make this stuff up folks.

TOH/Kate Murray? They don't even have a vote in this matter apparently.

Even if by some miracle TOH released a scaled down LH project that Wang-Rechler may be interested in building, a lease still has to be negotiated with Mangano.

This was the lease Tom Suozzi had ready before he left office, but could not be voted on by Democratic Nassau.

Mangano was quoted about looking into the developers agreement with Wang-Rechler that is currently in place so it's not looking promising for a future lease negotiation with Nassau if the TOH approved the LH.

Apparently that property is too valuable in Nassau for private developers to build on it where they make the bulk of the revenue in exchange for renovating Nassau's Coliseum, especially when it's something that could compete with other office space/residential in Nassau/TOH.

No wonder the Lighthouse page on the Nassau County website disappeared less than a day or so after Mangano took his oath.

Ed Mangano had his Memorandum of Understanding with himself all set to go.

Bottom line:
Where is Mangano's plan to make the New York Islanders self-sustaining as a hockey franchise at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum? A week ago Nassau hosted the Yankees championship trophy after every other sports team in the area received huge money to become self-sufficient, relocate locally or remain in place.

Some folks wondered why I was so tough on Tom Suozzi for letting the LH sit in a drawer for a few years? Mangano was not happy with Wang/Rechler/Smg deal negotiated by Suozzi to run the Coliseum.

I'm not sure if Wang-Rechler have any response, I doubt it will be through the media because Wang made it clear he does not want it done that way. My speculation remains TOH would do anything not to take the blame for voting down the LH.

My stance is unchanged from the entry earlier this week.

Wang-Rechler should demand an immediate vote on the full LH proposal, they are entitled to that for the millions they have spent.

If Ed Mangano is eventually the one to turn the LH down, he will not need a memorandum to understand he will be the one to blame if the Islanders do leave or if a Casino fails to be built, he will be the one held accountable.

There will also be no 51st state he can support to hide in.
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The generic page was removed.

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