The Next Kate Murray For Islanders? Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz

New York Islander Fan Central | 5/28/2012 08:31:00 PM |

This would be an image of Hofstra University President (since 2001) Stuart Rabinowitz hosting a fifty year celebration of Mets baseball in 2012 over several days, also having two hundred tickets available for free to students here.

The New York Islanders just celebrated their 40th anniversary, and had student discounts for countless years.

Let's meet the man who has (and will) play a huge role in determining if Albany assists Nassau County in any kind of public or private partnership with regard to the Nassau Coliseum as Stuart Rabinowitz was front/center when awards were announced last December here.

I believe it's important to write no one is required to be a New York Islander Fan or support any team because they are neighbors with a professional sports franchise.

Having written that Stuart Rabinowitz has never employed the words New York Islanders or should be seen as a disinterested neighbor because he had the following when Ed Mangano's Casino plan came out for the HUB.

"We're not only opposed to a casino [near] Hofstra University, but we have every intention of fighting it," said Hofstra president Stuart Rabinowitz. " . . . If anybody thinks this is going to be less painful than negotiating between Wang and Hempstead, they're mistaken."

Days before the 2011 referendum, Mr Rabinowitz was named regional co-chairman of Governor Cuomo's Long Island Regional Economic Development Council here.

Stuart Rabinowitz was also given a full op-ed on 8/11/11 after the referendum defeat with his view of the Hub's future.

Rabinowitz made clear last September he approached a Baltimore developer, who was interested in the 2005 RFP during the Lighthouse.

In short, Rabinowitz will play one of the most significant roles in what happens moving forward.

He's already suggested a New Coliseum be constructed at Belmont as part of a HUB development, that has angered the Mayor of Floral Park, Thomas J. Tweedy, who has called for Rabinowitz resignation here & continued the attacks in Nov 2011 here along with many other issues over several articles here.

We respectfully, but unequivocally, call for Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz to step aside and resign in order that the process leading to any proposed changes at Belmont Park are made transparently and fairly to ensure the communities surrounding Belmont Park are given the same consideration as Hofstra University has apparently been granted in determining the future of its neighboring 77-acre Coliseum site. The suggestion that Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, built for under $32 million in 1972, should make way for Hofstra’s grand vision for its own neighboring 77-acre site is incredible! Just because Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz does not want a casino at the Hub near Hofstra does not mean it cannot be done there.

History:
Rabinowitz did comment on the referendum when announced last May 2011 I'm not sure that can be called an endorsement.

He did give somewhat of an endorsement of the Lighthouse Project in August of 2009 without mentioning hockey or the Islanders here.

On Dec 20th 2005, Rabinowitz personal letter to Tom Suozzi gave far greater depth of support to the Mets proposal for the property, but wrote he had not been provided the Wang, Rechler proposal but looked forward to working with the ultimate developer to ensure that our needs are addressed. here.
One of the proposals creates an attractive "university town" that is very compatible and complimentary to our existing University campus. We believe that Sterling Equities, New York Mets Development Corporation and the Blumenfeld Development Group ("SEIBDG Prposal") offer a comprehensive development with amenities that are attractive to our students, faculty, administration and staff.

In 2009 Rabinowitz made clear why Hofstra discontinued it's football program
here.

You will have to draw your own conclusions on the Jets departure, or if Rabinowitz had any control over the circumstances, they did make a cameo return.

Wang was the featured speaker in October 2009 at Hofsta's National Center for Suburban Studies which was a Celebration of Suburban Diversity here.

Conclusion:
Obviously there are no reported meetings between Charles Wang/Stuart Rabinowitz or much apparent local spirit despite the Islanders current radio partnership with the university which he had no comment about when announced in 2010 here.

The President of Hofstra University also seemed to have no past problem getting involved in the HUB development before he was named to this commission.

Any sports team seems to fit the bill for Stuart Rabinowitz, never mentioning the New York Islanders by name, despite their remarkable accomplishments, and charity work for Long Island.

Problem here is any state funding will most certainly only happen with an endorsement from Rabinowitz as co-chair of Cuomo's committee.

Here were his comments in January 2012:


5/13/2012:
"I really hope we get something that's doable" for this year's round of funding.

To date, Mr Rabinowitz enthusiasm for the Islanders has been on par with Kate Murray.

It's time to hear the words New York Islanders from the President of Hofstra University, about their forty year neighbor.

For those wondering where is the entry on co-chair Kevin Law? Still researching.

I found Mr Law/Wang image shaking hands at referendum announcement inside Coliseum, and listened to his testimony before the legislature in February 2012, but I did take a jab at him (with Rabinowitz) in a 1/29/12 entry.