Nassau County is a step closer to getting a casino. The county Legislature voted in approval of a 99-year lease agreement with Las Vegas Sands on Monday.
The $4 billion entertainment center would be built on the 72-acre Nassau Coliseum property in Uniondale, better known as the Nassau Hub. In addition to the casino, it will include restaurants, a hotel and spa, a concert venue and more.
"We have held over 300 community meetings and are proud of the widespread coalition we have built with our new neighbors across Long Island,” said Sands chairman and CEO Robert G. Goldstein in a statement following the vote. “We are grateful for the trust they have placed in us and look forward to continuing to collaborate with the community.”
Representatives from Sands announced a lease amendment before the vote that adds another $25 million a year in community benefits from the company. The original agreement only included $4 million.
However, many local community groups worry it will bring more crime, and more traffic to the already congested area. An open letter from Hofstra University board members expressed concerns about student safety and mental health. Campus is located just down the street from the property.
Dr. Jeffery Reynolds with the Family and Children’s Association said he had similar concerns, at first. Now sees the career opportunities as a way to help young people in the surrounding neighborhoods.
“As we fight substance use, as we fight illiteracy, as we fight gun violence, the best way to do that is with a job,” he said. “As a region, we’ve got to stop saying ‘no’ to everything. I can’t get staff to come and work for us because they’re moving to more exciting, dynamic areas that are better resourced.”
Sands will still need to clear a few more hurdles before earning a gaming license from New York state, including zoning approval from the Town of Hempstead, an environmental review and more.
The county will receive $54 million from the company, regardless of whether or not the plans go through.
