Garden City leaders and residnts attended a Nassau County hearing to oppose the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the casino site.
At Monday’s Nassau County Legislature meeting, members of the grassroots organization Say No to the Casino and Village of Garden City officials delivered pointed and passionate remarks opposing the proposed Sands casino.
Despite Las Vegas Sands publicly announcing it has withdrawn from the project, the Legislature moved forward with the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Nassau County residents have until May 30th at 5:00 PM to submit comments to sandscomments@nassaucountyny.gov Residents who did not speak Monday may submit their written comments to the county legislators who are expected to vote to accept or reject the FEIS at the June 23rd meeting.
The FEIS is available in hard copy at the Garden City Library and can be found online at the following link: https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/5774/Sands-FEIS
Zoning change would permit gambling
With little notice, the Town of Hempstead has scheduled two public hearings to be held this Tuesday, May 27th, at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm to discuss changes to the zoning of the Hub property including a change that would allow gambling. Residents are urged to attend one of the public hearings that will be held at the Town Meeting Pavilion, 1 Washington St., Hempstead NY at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM. The Town Clerk’s Office confirmed that no mailers will be sent to notify residents.
Strong comments in opposition
At the County Legislature meeting on the FEIS, Garden City Mayor Ed Finneran strongly criticized the move, calling it premature and unfounded. “We are reviewing a massive FEIS for a project that currently has no sponsor, no operator, and no valid lease,” Finneran said. “Las Vegas Sands—one of the most reputable gaming companies in the world, with a $30 billion market cap and an estimated $400 million investment—has completely walked away from this site.”
Former Mayor Mary Carter Flanagan stated that the environmental impact studies confirm the serious concerns we have had since the beginning about this proposed project. The traffic impact, water demands, pollution, crime, and increased DWIs cannot be sufficiently mitigated, and now is the time to “turn the corner and look to do something good at the Hub.”
Trustee Rich Catalano also voiced concerns, highlighting the public safety implications. Referencing a recent Newsday article, he cited the article’s alarming statistics – that 2,200 people have died in the past decade – equivalent to the village of Bellport, and that 16,000 people were severely hurt – equivalent to the village of Floral Park. Trustee Catalano asked “So what is the Nassau County legislature’s response to these dangers – to continue to push for a massive casino in the heart of Nassau County next to two colleges and a Catholic high school – literally next to tens of thousands of students.”
Other powerful speakers included village residents Monica Kiely, Lynn Krug, and Peggy Volz, along with residents from other nearby communities including Uniondale, Westbury and Baldwin. All urged the Legislature to abandon the casino plans and instead pursue development that benefits and uplifts local communities. Former Trustee Bruce Chester and current Trustee Vinny Muldoon attended to show their opposition.
Despite unanimous passage of the resolution—a necessary step toward allowing any future casino operator to apply for a New York State gaming license before the June 26 deadline—some legislators attempted to clarify their stance. Legislators Olena Nicks and Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, both Democrats, emphasized that approving the release of the FEIS was about ensuring transparency and not an endorsement of a casino at the Nassau Hub.
Uncertainty over the future of the casino proposal remains with Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton admitting she does not know the identity of the potential new operator or developer. When asked, Garden City’s own representative, Legislator John Giuffré, said he too was unaware. With Newsday reporting the new operator or developer will present at the May 27th hearing, it’s hard to understand why there is so much secrecy surrounding the identity of that operator.
Mayor Finneran and Say No to the Casino are urging all residents to attend Tuesday’s hearings and make their voices heard. “This is a pivotal moment for our community,” said Monica Kiely, a vocal opponent of the casino. “We need to show up and speak out before irreversible decisions are made.”
1
20
20
