Randi Marshall from Newsday is reporting the first HUB advisory meeting, scheduled for June 23, has been postponed. This is due to the lack of facts and information. Frank Zarb, the committee chairman, said the meeting will take place when more information is known. The plans for the Nassau Coliseum are supposed to be released in mid-June.
CH: Another day, another arena post. This one is especially disturbing, however. It's a well-known fact by Islander fans that this plan was supposed to be released in mid-June. Now we're hearing that a meeting based on the plans, scheduled 7 days from now, is already postponed. If they are already postponing a meeting scheduled a week from now, does that mean we are nowhere close to getting these plans? I understand it's a negotiation process, but when you tell people that the plans will be out mid-June, they are expected mid-June. So are we looking at a July date now? This is absolutely unacceptable. Like we said on the podcast, the details are the only thing that matter at this point. A comparison of economic benefits with the Islanders in 2016 and one without them is a major detail, but we have no idea what it entails.
Hopefully these details come out either today or tomorrow, but it's not looking likely. The longer this goes on without answers, the less likely the referendum will have a chance to make it through the vote, the legislature, and NIFA. They are needed now.
AT: What on Earth are they thinking? They expect people to get the details in Mid-July and then vote for it 15 days after? People need time to dissect this and realize it's a good thing. You're not swaying any minds with 15 days to go, Mangano. Totally irresponsible and unsurprising.
In response to the lack of a plan and answers, Nick Giglia and B.D. Gallof have reported the Nassau County Democrats sending out a letter regarding this project entitled "The Coliseum Tax."
CH: The Democrats are an easy target here. They are attacking the plan that will keep the Islanders on Long Island. Believe me, I'm not happy about it. But they don't really have much to go off of here. That said, it's ridiculous this is becoming another game of the bipartisan shenanigans we see on Long Island every day. The Islanders have supported this community for 40 years, and in return they just receive political banter and argument. The party lines need to come together on this. We don't care who gets the credit - as far as I'm concerned, it will be a team effort. Who cares? Just get it done. The problem is these elected officials cannot and will not ever agree on anything.
In this case, I believe the Democrats just want answers. I'm of the opinion none of the politicians are inherently against this, and that what we are seeing is just political theater. But as more time passes without any plan or answers, the Democrats are turning against the plan because of the lack of organization and timeliness. All of this just comes back to the fact that we need answers, and we need them now. To Mr. Wang and Mr. Mangano, it's time to get the ball rolling.
AT: I can't really say I can blame the Democrats too much considering it's very hard to support a plan you know very little about. The very idea should be supported, yes. However, if I were a politician and I received a plan of a $400m arena I knew nothing about, I'd be very hesitant to vote for it as well. I'm sure most Democrats realize that this is a necessity, but as is? I'm not gonna jump all over them when Mangano and Wang have been the irresponsible ones.
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