19-0 UNANIMOUS LEGISLATURE APPROVAL OF RATNER COLISEUM BID

Highlights on twitter:

Coliseum renovations will begin  August 1st 2015, with the building set to re-open by September 2017.

Video Conference Post 19-0 vote.

Mangano said in video 11:00 mark NIFA has contract, more information from them Tuesday 9/24.

Bruce Ratner, flat out dazzled with eloquence, experience, and information. Legislature members who were voting no changed their mind. 

Ratner said when plan submitted to league on Islanders playing six games at Coliseum, Dolan must approve, this has not been submitted to NHL yet. 

Still murky on Sound Tigers depending on lease agreement to 2021 can be changed earlier. Ratner said he tried/will bring in another team if not Sound Tigers. Wang submitted letter on Sound Tigers to legislature.

Ratner may need Dolan's AHL team if Sound Tigers not allowed to move. 

Only feasible for Wang economically to play maximum of six Coliseum game. 

Construction begins Aug 2015, will take two years for everything which would be done all at once (inside/outside) that means there will be no two, four, six, whatever New York Islander hockey games for 2015-16, and likely 2016-17.

The timetable given was fifteen to eighteen months for renovation so for the older readers think 1973-1976 Yankee Stadium renovation.

Spending to retain the Islanders, increasing capacity of Nassau Coliseum was not financially viable given small scale of project. 

Ampitheatre just a grassy area, not a big concert venue.
Skating rink in grassy area more like Rockefeller Center, just for skating, not to compete with local hockey. 

NEC Coliseum lease with Ratner was listed as item one on agenda Ordinance. No. 134-2014

Long Island Press reported Gov Cuomo made major changes to NIFA Nassau's Democratic Board which could hold it's first meeting on Friday 9/27, and would be the final hurdle if legislature approval is given because the minor changes to the Coliseum's footprint obviously fit in TOH/re-zoning.