COMMENTARY: Word-For-Word, Lighthouse Project Starting To Fall Flat
BDGallof | Jul 20, 2010 | Comments 25
If there is one thing to be seen in this new scuffle over the Lighthouse Project, is that the newest wrinkle to it all has very much splintered the fanbase. We can certainly glean the Lighthouse Project’s own take in one read. Meanwhile wordage of the ToH press release is loose enough to drive truck-wide holes through. Reaction of it has really been all over the map. Even I had an immediate gut-level reaction hearing that the LHP would tie itself to something I felt was a political loser and albatross, a casino.
Take that gut-reaction and push it off, the casino is still a conundrum, as it seems a more Hail Mary notion. Mangano’s group have very little except for an Excel spreadsheet with dreams for profit to fill the debt gap. They hope that somehow that will close the huge debt gap, despite many thinking it might take years for the county to even sniff a dime.
The biggest question that comes out of all of this is why Mangano was not aboard the Lighthouse Project earlier this year, choosing to get huffy with Wang. Wouldn’t have those plans been an economic revenue engine? It is a stunning question where one has to wonder of the internal political mechanics. As stated on this blog, it is very questionable where gambling proponent Alphonse D’Amato, is Mangano’s largest post- election donor. Leaves a lot of questions to why this is being pushed with little to no research and studies.
Add now that Al D’Amato’s own daughter works for the Nasssau Exec administration and the questions just keep on coming. Add to all this, Mangano’s deputy Pat Foye is a big casino proponent, having his hands on some upstate casino notions before his new role.
Per one ToH source, D’Amato’s hands are all over this casino pivoting. Since Al is in charge of the Poker Players Alliance, he has had his hands deep into the casino issues here and elsewhere.
But, meanwhile the ToH shortsightedness and own placating of the small minority who came out against the LHP (Reston Associates) is what has left the door open to the Nassau Exec to tout his own project to appease his gambling masters. The TOH could have played ball with the LHP by informing them YEARS before about how the size and scope would not work, but they also remained completely inflexible and now have a casino possibly forced down their gullet. At some level, you have to wonder if it serves these yutzes right. Lack of vision leads to losing control of a situation. ToH has lost control of things.
A vacuum of abyss-like proportions has developed between the Town and the economic realities for Long Island. The ToH’s clinging to placating the vocal wallets, yet clear minority, of NIMBY Garden City and Mondello, their cartoon-like Republican master, is very clear here in the ToH Development Failure Fallout.
The zoning they will allow has come under fire from all sides. In fact, the ToH assumption that if Wang won’t so someone else will build there is false. Wang and Rechler will sit in the drivers seat since they own property all around the Coliseum. That property cannot be just taken away nor can it be pushed to another developer without their say so. This fact tends to be lost on many a bright idea or notion that comes out of the town board thinktank, which might be even smaller than their zoning plan for the LHP. Some of that land actually is part of the Coliseum site. This is something that the ToH, developers or others will not be able to get around, no matter the twist of words, ideas or retaining suburbia myth.
Reality, economic especially, seems lost on a town that has been reticent to communicate, negotiate or even look at the bigger picture for years. The ToH plan smacks far too much of the oldest, most basic, and yet most pathetic reasoning on the planet….keeping themselves in power and not letting LHP or anyone else, business or idea, ruin their power stew. This is about party lines, voting areas, and keeping control of that area to be Republican over Democratic, no matter how you slice the bullshit.
What comes clear is Long Island small-minded political games have once again come into to destroy progress. Per sources, D’Amato’s money has also moved to Democrats, some are saying that it is to silence them over the casino and venue issues. Serious questions now need to be asked, as many big name Democrats who touted themselves in front of the Coliseum have been basically MIA. Not to mention, perhaps there needs to be a closer look at the lobby and PAC money trails to both Republican and Democrats.
Meanwhile we must also thrust blame also on Charles Wang who has stifled the LHP voice that still leaks to the digital ether, conveniently. They also failed to work out differences, instead playing political ball and piping up smoke to Queens and sometimes Brooklyn through some supple channels.
How much has a billionaires impatience and disorganized organization had apart to play in this unfolding the way it did?
Constantly in this process it was others who had to commandeer the handshake. The LHP was constantly reacting, instead of dictating the conversation. All the money the spent on the development and reach-out, yet their own development organization was a small group of very committed people who might have not had the right topflight talent to make it all happen. Now the conversation is back to others….Mangano, ToH, all people who are not invested. Who still controls the playing board? The Republican GOP with former Senator D’Amato and the Long Island grand poobah, Joseph Mondello all with their own notions and aims.
So once again we will be stuck between an impatient billionaire owner, a small-minded shortsighted town board and system, and an executive that looks to be in muck far above his head. Meanwhile the puppet strings still trail to the game-players of power, wealth and affluence whose only interest is their own.
Long Islanders, sport fans, and the young generation who hasn’t left this lost, miserable, blind, Infighting County are the ones short changed and abused here.
In capable hands a casino could be well organized, studied with savvy and smart assurances and guarantees that Long Island could carry it off without the well-documented negatives that come along with it. What is missing from some blogs, papers and other avenues is that there is a long trail of studies, issues and research in regards to gambling venues. Those reports aren’t pretty. Mangano and his think-tank, another shortbus missing a few tires, have not bothered to address this or provide materials to offset the reams of materials that opponents have at their beck and call.
Meanwhile, opponents are here, there and everywhere. A group that is clearly is just looking out for CT’s own nest egg is already protesting the Shinnecock recognition. This could lead to months to years in delay thanks to the all-mighty dollar…the one thing that is clearly affecting every avenue in this giant wreck of a situation.
Can you imagine how it will get when Hofstra, firmly against the casino, steps up, or many others who stand behind them?
The mess never quite goes away. Just more and more questions.
Of course, sports fans and Long Islanders, once again are stuck between the rock and the hard place thanks to the puppets-at-large who are more interested in bottom-lines, cronyism and playing political maneuvers than solving problems nor reaching a consensus. At the hearing, the ToH, and even Nassau County heard the political will of Long Islanders, sports fans or not, and this has been roundly ignored with heaping loads of self-serving denial. The majority is being denied by political games, lobby-power, small town vision, lobby dollars and just plain old hubris…
That is the true crime. Long Island and sports fans suffer for it.
Filed Under: Featured • Featured Rumors • New York Islanders • NHL
The only viable option left to keep the Islanders “local” is to make the move to Queens.
What I am particularly concerned about, and remain uneasy with is Charles Wang. His decision to literally “go dark” on all public relations not only with the LHP, but with Hockey Ops as well —is very troubling.
The P.R. vacuum that Wang has created is being filled with lies, inaccuracies, and outright slander by the press, the blogosphere, the ToH and other politicos. It is a major mistake on his part — of monumental proportions.
The casino option is pleasing to D’amato, Mangano and others because in their simple and uneducated minds — it is the easy solution. The only “work” Mangano and Nassau County supporters of a casino would have to do is pass a piece of legislation to allow them to collect a gaming tax revenue. Then, just sit back, and watch those tax resources roll into the County coffers. Suburban blight of people using their mortgages to play craps, drug dealers and users lining Hemptstead Turnpike with prostitutes be damned — as long as the tax revenue is rolling in…
That is the thought process for these “leaders” of our County, B.D. In my time in dealing with these folks, I know how they think, and how they operate. Huge egos…not very smart…wanting to do as little as possible all while living off the taxpayers backs. It is very rare to see an educated person who has the good of the people at heart.
My own viewpoint for Wang is as follows (Nick, you will see this as familiar…)
If I am advising Charles Wang — with his resources — here is the beginnings of the kind of strategy I would propose.
1) FOLLOW THE MONEY — GET THE FACTS
• Hire a private investigative team to look at all of the finances, tax records and track record of Murray, and Mondello.
• Pull down every town budget and find where all of the money is being spent.
• Review the list of contributors to the town GOP and Murray as well as every member of the Town Board.
The money trail is where the bones will be buried if there are any, and my guess is there are enough bones to build an army. Having the details and the ability to use them against Murray is the first step in bringing her, and the real power behind her — Mondello — down! This information should be strategically leaked to the media over the next 6 months. The more you damage your opponents credibility, the more chance there is to find candidates to defeat them.
2) BEGIN THE SHIFT WEST
• Schedule a very public, well photographed and well reported “lunch” sometime during the next two weeks.
• Leak it to the press that Wang, Rechler and the rest of the top Lighthouse boys and girls are lunching with Queens borough President, Mayor Bloomberg, the Wilpons, Gary Bettman, and the USTA people.
I would issue no statements, and no deep seated remarks. The ONLY comment, with a pleasant smile should be “…just having lunch with some friends.”
That alone will send Murray and Mondello into fits.
They will rail against Wang saying that his actions show how he doesn’t care about Nassau and Long Island and never did. They have offered him a generous package, and that he is being greedy.
The press will speculate.
Columns will be written.
The blogosphere will go nuts.
3) SET THE HOOK
• By the time training camp closes, and the start of the season is about to begin, have all plans ready including a model and video similar to the Lighthouse materials.
• Hold a presser to reveal the scale, scope of the project.
• CRITICAL: Make sure Bloomberg, both US Senators, Congresspeople, NYS Governor, Full City Counsel, all the Queens players are in attendance.
• ALSO CRITICAL: Be sure the Wilpon’s, Bettman, Daly, and NHLPA leaders are in attendance, and ready to spin for you. I would have players and reps (if possible) from the Devils, and Rangers to spin for the Isles…something along the lines of “it is so important to keep our LI rivals here, and moving them to Queens is going to benefit the rivalry…” Have former players and current players from the Isles. Everyone glowing with smiles.
You want to have THE FULL WEIGHT of political power visible and present showing the support and determination of getting the project DONE. This will further enrage Murray and Mondello. They will rail against Wang, but will have a very hard time with all of the spin, the political power, and the power of the NHL and specifically, two other franchise.
4) PLAY ALL SIDES AGAINST THE MIDDLE
• As step 2 and 3 are being executed, leak details and pertinent information from the investigation in Step 1.
This is a two-prong war.
You are waging the battle FOR the Willits Point development, as your plan B while working to set up what WAS your plan A.
YOU are the middle.
At the end of the day, you want to get your development built, and it really should not matter if it is in Nassau or Queens.
Regardless of who is in power in Nassau/ToH — they MUST be viewed as the opponent in this struggle to get a new home for the Islanders and supporting arena district constructed. The idea of trying to negotiate with these people is long past its due daye.
Wang tried to do the dignified thing — tried to be “reasonable” and have a dialogue. The problem is, that when you are the “nice” guy in a room full of vipers, you are going to be eaten alive. I am fully confident that Wang is viewed by Murray and the Hooples as weak. They are, and frankly have been daring him to move the team for years.
They are right to view him the way they do. The way he has played this has been from a position of weakness, rather then strength. He needs to play the game right!
I agree that L.I. suffers again. But unless there is a fundamental shift in the mentality of the public here, youth will continue to depart as they have been — and they will likely take the NY Islanders with them.
HayDray, I dont understand why Wang decided to just sit on his hands like he did. If he played hard ball like you are saying maybe this thing would be happening. Wangs ego is probably getting in the way as well.
btw, I got your email.
Murray’s latest action proves what we’ve all suspected for a long time: She wants absolutely no part of this project. Because of this, Wang was over a barrel. I wish he’d been more forceful, too, but when he forcefully spoke about it last year TOH sources complained to me and BD that he was a bully who wanted to take advantage of them.
Wang learned the right lesson from the failure of his Old Plainview project: engage citizens and get them on board. He had the majority of residents, and he still has the majority of elected officials. However, he never took the next step, and that’s the great tragedy here. He never made the big ask to actually do something, and he made the huge mistake of taking Kate Murray at her word (I stopped criticizing her, as I promised to do, but I’ve never trusted any of those Hempstead guys any further than I could throw them).
As a result, here we are. A petty Town Supervisor who did just enough to keep the wolves at bay just set fire to Long Island’s future. Charles Wang might not want to move, but he might not have a choice now.
I think there needs to be a full post about this. We can’t take it sitting down, and we need to decide how to move forward.
I agree and Im not used to you being so pessimistic. Things aren’t looking good. WTF are we to do???We all wrote letters, Ive made numerous phone calls but they have had no effect. We need to do something more drastic, more direct.
Nick —
Charles Wang shrank down from Murray when the ToH people were “complaining” about him being “a bully who wanted to take advantage of them.”
Is that really what happened?
IF this is indeed the case, then we can waive goodbye to the team right here, and right now.
If he does not have the stomach to handle being called a “bully” by ToH officials, then he has no business being involved at this level.
Im sorry fans, but to shrink back from something as small as that. The man is clearly a whimp and has no fight in him. My assessment is 100% dead on balls accurate. Of course they are smacking him around — THEY KNOW THEY CAN!!!
The correct response should have been:
“Supervisor Murray, I am sorry if you see me as a bully. That is, of course not my intention, and I ask for your forgiveness.”
Now, madame supervisor, can you please tell me, and my team —what is it you don’t like about me and what is it that in your view is making me ‘a bully?’”
“Am I a bully madame Supervisor because I want what is best for me sports team and my teams supporters, and I am willing to fight for them?”
“Do you see me as a Bully because I have been rally the support of my current and former players as well reaching out to the community at large to tell them about the project?”
“Most other team owners would have come to you hat in hand asking for $350-$500 million dollars in tax funds to build this project, yet I am asking for not a single penny. Is that what earns me the title of ‘bully’ Madame Supervisor?”
If these are the things that make me a bully, I submit to the you Madame Supervisor, and the entire Town Board, and the people of Hempstead, and Nassau County — Im so very sorry. My intent is not to ‘bully’ as you are calling it. I am merely trying to provide the people of Hempstead and citizens of Long Island jobs, and a good, clean place to live. You see Madam Supervisor, it truly bothers me that people in this community are leaving for better opportunities in other locations because they can’t afford to live here, and can’t find work here.”
“This effort Madame Supervisor is all about helping people. It is not about the hockey team ma’am. Simply put, the hockey team is the center of the wheel, but all of the spokes are to benefit the people.”
“So once again, let me apologize for trying to help provide housing, jobs, tax revenue and a home for my hockey team — and doing so without asking for any taxpayer monies.”
Now an answer like that may sound a bit…. snarky…. a bit patronizing…. but if you are going to play in the big kids sandbox, you best bring your best shovel, and tools. Further — her ‘bully’ remarks were just as snarky, and just as patronizing.
The man is PRIVATELY FINANCING the entire project.
What I just wrote was a ‘nice’ way of saying — “sweety, you should be licking my boots and wiping my derrier for the tax base I am providing your one-horse dump of a town, without having to pay a dime, or lift a finger…”
Like I said — shrinking from ‘bully’ means this conversation is done…this effort is done. He has no ability to do the hard work that is needed.
At this point, I am honestly wondering how this man built CA. I am starting to think it was more luck, then anything else.
I have observed the Islanders from afar and with a bit of a smirk on my face for some time now.
This once proud franchise is at a critical juncture. Due to their incompetence they have been able to stockpile some nice young talent via high, obvious draft picks. They don’t get credit for being able to make good picks high in the draft.
Now that they have something to work with can’t Bettman force Wang to sell the team to someone with a clue about how to run a sports franchise?
Under Wang/Snow here is what you get.
1) Odd contracts. (See DiPietro)
2) Odd business dealings (See Lighthouse machinations)
3) People with no hockey knowledge sitting at draft table year after year. (See Kevin Connolly, Wang’s Son, Charles Wang, Garth Snow)
4) Odd firings/hirings (Ryan Jankowski/Garth Snow)
5) Odd marketing choices
Solution
Move Wang and Snow into the Grey Gardens Estate and somehow convince them that they are still running the show.
Hurry!
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The reality is that if this does not get resolved soon the eam will be sold an moved by the time 2015 ome around and tht the lease is up…
Who is to blame and why is fastly becoming irrelevant. As a fan, I want a resolution, immediately…I do not care for political games….If this cannot be resolved by 2015, then the team deserves to move, TOH and county and sit and stew all they want…and we can play the blame game all we want…the reality is…a resolution needs to be found now.
Mr Galloff, we can talk about all of the unethical practices of our “so called” political leaders and the backwards dealings of which are robbing Long Islanders of a future or we can be proactive. Its obvious that Wang decided to be reactive instead of proactive. I wish we, as a people, could do something about it instead of just crying about it. WTF can we do???Small time town supervisors like Murray shouldn’t have this much power. Shes like the Queen of ToH, not a supervisor
Al D’amato will be more than likely to try to screw the Islanders again if given the chance. Chances are he was enraged when Suozzi ripped apart his crown jewel namely SMG agreement back in December 2009 which essentially ended the Islanders stay at Coliseum at 2015. Move to Queens, Charles.
Is Queens realy an option? WOuldnt it take yrs to go through all the hurdles and doing the same environmental studies that were done here?
This is directed at Jason. While Queens would have its hurdles, the municipality as already approached Charles about building a new arena for him. The Mets have also had discussions about putting a new building in the current Citi Field parking lot (what used to be Shea Stadium). The zoning issues would not nearly be as long as what we have gone through with this LH Project. I agree with every post above that it is finally time to move on. Why tie ourselves to another project in a casino that has no shot of going anywhere.
If this were the 1960′s, there would be sit-ins, protests, etc. up the wazoo. You want this in the press 24/7? People should get together and stage a sit-in in the Coliseum parking lot for the rest of the summer. Move it to TOH Town Hall when the regular meetings are scheduled, but otherwise stay in the Coliseum parking lot. I bet the County would cooperate. It could be done in shifts—hell like one continuous tailgate party. Protest the lack of vision by the Town. All summer long. Day after day. Students who are off for the summer, Islandermania regulars, the occasional Islander employee. That’s what should be done.
mrlbem, I would love it if we could get an activist group together…Wanger has a huge fanbase of passionate Islander fans who have proved they will show up in droves to support this project. He should be firing up the troops
As Tip O’Neill once said: All politics is local.
And anyone who underestimates the power of local politicians to control events in a community down to the slightest detail surely hasn’t had the good fortune of ever having applied for a simple variance to build a deck to a house – Yes, there’s a circle in hell for petty bureaucrats; just below that of life insurance salesmen and boy-band members.
Here are some unassailable facts to consider when attempting to assign blame in this sordid affair:
Wang is a criminal – his history of shady dealing is replete with nefarious associations and financial chicanery; sleights of hand so brazenly contemptuous of the law as to elicit special comment from Securities investigators examining his previous business practices.
Wang is paranoid – as any self-respecting evil-doer is want to be; his executive style is absolutely Nixonian – right down to the flop sweat on the upper brow and a dog named Chinese Checkers.
Wang/D’Amato relationship predates ownership of Islanders – No, not so strange bedfellows; every top-tier criminal publicly held corporation (Computer Associates) does need the requisite political imprimatur to help shield from the prying eyes of government regulators after all, albeit when those public servants aren’t focused on watching internet porn instead.
And is anyone really all that surprised by Uncle Al making little Charlie his bitch on the land deal? C’mon, D’Amato clawed his way to the top of NY politics not by being eloquent and photogenic. And all while Wang was in knickers busy doing crossword puzzles in pencil and changing dates on billing invoices.
Not that any of that mitigates the complicity of self-serving political hacks abusing public office; but, then again, eighty percent of the vote might well deem us gluttons for punishment.
Cupcakes, anyone?
Big article in Newsday today about CORRUPTION in New Cassel real estate and guess what? Those arrested were DEMOCRATS. Roger Corbin, Patrick Williams, Neville Mullings any of these fine Democrat individuals your friends Dray? Only Republicans in Nassau are Corrupt right Dray and Independent Nick? We never hear of corrupt Democrats in Nassau right Robbie? I wonder how many of you on here who dictate what should be built on that property actually live in the TOH. I seem to recall BD on his twitter page telling a few people who were in favor of a casino on that site (2 in particular one from Baltimore and one from RVC) to basically butt out they have no say what goes there but he has no problem with people from Manhattan and Bushwick and God knows where else telling people like me who I should vote for and what kind of development I should be in favor of where I LIVE. Little hypocritical there BD as long as they agree with you then it doesn’t matter that they don’t live anywhere near here?
you are so stuck on your Rep vs Dems, you’ve chosen to ignore most logic and sense. nobody is even talking about Dems or even Rep corruption, which is widespread and also knows no party lines. But furthermore, since i live in ToH, your point is quite moot.
so think it’s time to retire the right wing soapbox, because you are starting alienate yourself from the subject than to make a point lately.
No you have a double standard. If someone wants to come on here and kiss obama’s ass you allow it. If someone wants to come on here and tell how they helped get him elected you allow it but when someone brings up negatives about Dems then you don’t want politics discussed. How can you say no one is talking about corruption I guess you missed all the attacks on D’Amato. But since he’s a Republican that’s OK. This whole LH saga is all about Dems vs Rep it’s also all about Murray looking out for the people who actually voted FOR her. You would think by reading some of the posts on here she is the first politician in the history of the US to do that. Should she just ignore them and listen to a bunch of people who are Wang sycophants who don’t even live within the TOH because this board is full of them. Since you live in the TOH you have as much right as I do to your opinion on what should be built there but these people on here who don’t live here have NO SAY and shouldn’t be preaching to any of us who do as far as I’m concerned. I’ll retire the right wing soapbox when the others on here retire their left wing soapbox starting with Dray.
you have a complex. Dems are scums bags and so are Reps, and to tow any party line is just dumb
Im an independent…I form my own opinions based on my own brain not based on what some party tells me to think…Think for yourself
I do think for myself I’ve been a registered voter since the early 1980′s so I don’t need political advice from you. That’s why I’ve been keeping an eye on the Xanadu project at the Meadowlands (a shopping and sports complex)that is 3 years behind schedule and has become an eyesore. It was supposed to be built with all private money but now the Governor of NJ is talking about getting this this thing completed with PUBLIC FINANCES, TAXPAYER MONEY. Sound familiar it’s all going to be private money. Who’s been repeating that, Nick???? Are you ready to GUARANTEE that that won’t happen with the LH Nick?? I think Wang’s mini city was supposed to be an even bigger project than this but no one on here wants to check out what’s going on in NJ. Why not???
You do not seem to think on your own, from where I see it, from what Ive read from you…You seem to use canned argument points. You said something about me being a Dem when I am not and never was. I told you this before, I was a rep but now Ive learned they are all bad. I changed to independent because thats what I am, an independent thinker…I do not take everything that Rush Limbaugh or any other conservative says as gospel and I dont take what any liberals say as gospel…I make up my mind based on my morals and beliefs…You are a PURE CONSERVATIVE….I am conservative on some subjects and liberal on others and what that means is I could never be in either party
You sure as hell are getting in bed with the far lefties on here. I vote for the people who have my best interests at heart. There are issues that I prioritize when I vote (national security, economy, illegal immigration, crime, ect) and I’m sorry but the Isles and their owner are not at the top of the list. The last radio talk show host I listened to on a steady basis was Bob Grant in his prime (a true conservative) and I don’t listen to any of the current crop including Rush or Hannity.
Thats a pot calling a kettle black anyway, lol…You need to get your head examined…If you actually read my post, you would have figured out that “I am not in bed with any of the parties”, I chose independent because I am not towing any party line, like you…Get this trough your think skull, “I DONT BASE MY OPINIONS ON WHAT THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY SAYS AND I DONT BASE MY OPINIONS ON WHAT THE LIBERALS SAY I SHOULD THINK EITHER”. I HAVE A MIND OF MY OWN AND I MAKE MY OWN OPINIONS BASED ON MY OWN MORALS AND BELIEFS. NOT BASED ON WHAT TITLE I FIT UNDER. I HAVE THE ABILITY TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH DEMS OR REPS. YOU SIR JUST REGURGITATE WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SAY BECAUSE THATS WHAT YOUR FELLOW CONSERVATIVES TELL YOU TO THINK.
Its like if I wanted your opinion I can just read the conservative hand book…If I want you opinion Il just listen to rush, lol
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