Charles Wang's Msg+ Interview Thursday |
New York Islander Fan Central | 3/06/2009 07:14:00 AM |
Charles Wang
ABC.com: Charles Wang and Kate Murray also appeared in this brief and somewhat misleading video story filed.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Here's what I got out of the too short interview:
1. It seems Mr Wang put a drop-dead date on this being approved by the time next season begins, that could make for a very quiet summer for the team in UFA and a huge distraction to start next season on the ice. That's a bit unfair and he can talk about seven years but in effect this proposal as it current stands has been with TOH for only a short time and there is a process.
2. If negotiations with the county begin on a lease (Mr Wang said Tom Suozzi will be having meetings on this next week) as the TOH still works to approve the project, Nassau could grant a lease or kill the entire thing voiding the Islander lease regardless of what TOH decides.
Or this could be done so quickly there is chance of ground-breaking this summer.
If Nassau County turns around and decides no lease that kills the entire project regardless of what TOH decides. That 16-2 vote for a approval included a few folks who said they would never give a developer a 99 year lease on that property even though they approved the first time and were on record if it comes back to them again for final approval, they will reject the agreement.
3. Praising elected officials only a few weeks ago than putting on the pressure could backfire on Charles Wang.
4. Until Scott Rechler speaks on this we only have half the story at best. This is the man behind the real estate development with a company that does this.
In terms of the hockey team this will come down to the best deal Charles Wang can make for himself if the project is not approved to recover his losses.
My big question if that happened will Mr Wang allow another local interest to purchase the club or he is going to settle things once and for all time?
I suspect if the dollars are right he would look out for the fans (that's why he bought the culb to begin with) but perhaps his frustration with Nassau/TOH changes that thinking so he can blame the politicians for the loss of the team.
Then there is the Gary Bettman factor who is selling Mr Wang's project as he should be but also sounds like a man who is tired of a in a building as outdated as Madison Square Garden....I mean Nassau Coliseum in his league.
You folks do know the Garden is older and just as outdated if not more than the Coliseum? I hope some of you do.
I may be in the minority on this but I suspect with the lease finally winding down and the Coliseum absolutely needing work someone will step up locally and purchase this team.
I do not subscribe to the thinking Charles Wang is the last owner standing for a team with a lease that should give any potential owner a chance to do anything he wants to renovate/replace the Coliseum on the existing land that may only be centric to the Coliseum which I suspect would be approved but a bad business deal for any incoming owner unless the club was self-sustaining?
When I listen/read Kate Murray's generous offers to expedite the Coliseum only renovation that's a joke. It's like letting someone redo your home on their own dime while they lose money to pay for it and receive nothing.
That's the insulting part of this.
Having written this Charles Wang, Scott Rechler and the folks with him came up with a beautiful plan to replace a parking lot. As I have written this is not replacing a park or suburbia.
If Nassau Country cannot upgrade it's own building or replace it this was the idea Mr Wang came up with so the building, the hockey team can be self-sustaining. Instead
of the events/concessions/parking like many other teams receive the Islanders owner gets revenue off the real-estate.
We'll see.