NY voters to decide on plan for new hockey arena (Islanders); UPD referendum defeated

[Killion]

Which is it: fast women, cheap wine or slow horses?.

All 3.

A shuttle to Jamaica would be good too.What's weird about the place? It's right at Atlantic Yards.

1) Why, what do you do in Jamaica Othmar?.
2) Those yards bring in a lotta money for Nassau County; location rentals, film & TV. Know them well.

 

[LadyStanley]

ChrisBottaNHL 11:01am via Twitter for BlackBerry® Nassau Legislature member (a Democrat): vote WILL pass on Tuesday [5/31] for Aug. 1 public referendum on new Coliseum.


ChrisBottaNHL 11:18am via Twitter for BlackBerry® Charles Wang's top exec confirms to SNY PB: Wang will pay every $ of arena costs beyond $350 mill. Will be written into agreement.

 

[mucker*]

Any non-biased people with insight, what are the odds this passes?

 

[Brodie]

It depends on the campaign and how it's sold to the public, so nobody knows yet.

 

[Kane One]

Any non-biased people with insight, what are the odds this passes?

Wouldn't a biased Islander fan living in Nassau know the odds more than an unbiased person?

 

[mucker*]

Wouldn't a biased Islander fan living in Nassau know the odds more than an unbiased person?

Yes, they would know more, but that wouldn't make them honest and objective, and thus a possible answer can't be accurate.

 

[PJGooch]

Any non-biased people with insight, what are the odds this passes?

It's Islander fans, labor unions and some business groups vs. disgruntled taxpayers and knee-jerk NIMBY no-voters.

What's working in favor of the Isles is a strength in organized numbers and the fact that a little positive PR and financial details should keep a good amount of those disgruntled away from the polls on Aug 1.

What's working against the Isles (right now) is that the lack of details following the announcement has allowed negative sentiment to build. Whether that negative momentum translates to NO votes is anyone's guess. People around here complain all day about astronomical school taxes yet only a small fraction of them actually bother to vote on school budgets, and about 95% of LI districts pass their budgets every year.

I'd say it's better than 50-50 that it passes, increasing to very likely provided the Isles/Nassau come through with some favorable details later this Summer.

 

[OthmarAmmann]

It's Islander fans, labor unions and some business groups vs. disgruntled taxpayers and knee-jerk NIMBY no-voters.

What's working in favor of the Isles is a strength in organized numbers and the fact that a little positive PR and financial details should keep a good amount of those disgruntled away from the polls on Aug 1.

What's working against the Isles (right now) is that the lack of details following the announcement has allowed negative sentiment to build. Whether that negative momentum translates to NO votes is anyone's guess. People around here complain all day about astronomical school taxes yet only a small fraction of them actually bother to vote on school budgets, and about 95% of LI districts pass their budgets every year.

I'd say it's better than 50-50 that it passes, increasing to very likely provided the Isles/Nassau come through with some favorable details later this Summer.

Didn't the state take over Nassau's finances? I haven't been watching very closely...

 

[PJGooch]

Didn't the state take over Nassau's finances? I haven't been watching very closely...

NIFA is a state agency that is essentially monitoring and overseeing County finances.

 

[OthmarAmmann]

Okay, so that's it. Could they have any impact on this deal?

 

[Bert Marshall days]

Okay, so that's it. Could they have any impact on this deal?

Yes, they could kill the deal, even if it passes on 8/1.

 

[LadyStanley]

BComptonNHL 11:25am via Web
Nassau County Legislators vote in favor of Aug. 1 referendum by 11-7 score. #Isles

 

[Bert Marshall days]

I'm sure the plan details will be made crystal clear soon, just like they were for the LHP.

I'm sure Nassau voters will know EXACTLY what they're voting for on 8/1.

Because Mangano, Wang & Murray are so trustworthy.

I'm sure it will pass on 8/1 and that 20K NYR fans residing in Nassau won't vote NO out of spite and the massive amount of NYI STH's (totaling 3K full) will push it through.

I'm sure the supermajority of 13 legislative votes will be gotten even though party lines dictated today and they'll need 2 more people to change their minds.

I'm sure NIFA will allow this to go through because Nassau's finances are so great that an arena should get top priority over cops and teachers having jobs.

I'm sure Wang will pay everything in excess of $350 mil for the arena because he's spent the league lowest payroll for years and can't even afford decent radio coverage.

I'm sure NYI's payroll will be in the top 15 once the new arena is built. I'm sure revenue sharing will cover all that. Without property development.

I'm sure this is a better plan to have taxpayers increase what they will pay instead of having the LHP privately funded.

I'm sure that the scheduled deadline of 8/12 for RFP's for Willets Point had nothing to do with the 8/1 referendum date. I'm sure that if the vote is NO on 8/12, Wang won't apply for Queens.

I'm sure.

Remember, the 7 train, the GCP, LIRR and other ways get you to Queens to watch Grabner, Tavares and YOUR NY ISLANDERS!!!!

 

[LadyStanley]

http://twitter.com/BComptonNHL

1. Look at it this way, folks ... $58 wouldn't get you a 6-pack at Yankee Stadium. http://twitter.com/BComptonNHL/status/80872260147216384
2. 
   I know people don't want their taxes raised, but for Nassau Dems to use the "people are losing their homes" argument ,, it's $5 a month.
3. 
   Is it me, or is $58 not a lot of money?

 

[nyrmetros]

$11 beer at Yankee stadium.

 

[knorthern knight]

http://twitter.com/BComptonNHL

1. Look at it this way, folks ... $58 wouldn't get you a 6-pack at Yankee Stadium. http://twitter.com/BComptonNHL/status/80872260147216384
2. I know people don't want their taxes raised, but for Nassau Dems to use the "people are losing their homes" argument ,, it's $5 a month.
3. Is it me, or is $58 not a lot of money?

Death by a 1000 cuts or, to rephrase a alleged senator Dirksen quote... "$58 here, $58 there, $58 everywhere, and soon you're talking real money".

 

[KevFu]

http://twitter.com/BComptonNHL

1. Look at it this way, folks ... $58 wouldn't get you a 6-pack at Yankee Stadium. http://twitter.com/BComptonNHL/status/80872260147216384
2. 
   I know people don't want their taxes raised, but for Nassau Dems to use the "people are losing their homes" argument ,, it's $5 a month.
3. 
   Is it me, or is $58 not a lot of money?

Death by a 1000 cuts or, to rephrase a alleged senator Dirksen quote... "$58 here, $58 there, $58 everywhere, and soon you're talking real money".

Yeah, but you also have to consider what $58 is compared to what would happen if the site was vacant. Without the Islanders as a tenant NVMC would have maintenance costs and insurance that the Islanders are currently covering.

And what happens to taxes when the employees' jobs are lost if the Islanders leave town (team personnel, ticket office employees, team store employees. Heck, even MSG Network employees).

And the amount of money the Islanders paid in taxes as a local business, and the revenue generated for the economy from the Islanders.

Probably more than $58 for each taxpayer.

 

[azrok22]

I'm sure the plan details will be made crystal clear soon, just like they were for the LHP.

I'm sure Nassau voters will know EXACTLY what they're voting for on 8/1.

Because Mangano, Wang & Murray are so trustworthy.

I'm sure it will pass on 8/1 and that 20K NYR fans residing in Nassau won't vote NO out of spite and the massive amount of NYI STH's (totaling 3K full) will push it through.

I'm sure the supermajority of 13 legislative votes will be gotten even though party lines dictated today and they'll need 2 more people to change their minds.

I'm sure NIFA will allow this to go through because Nassau's finances are so great that an arena should get top priority over cops and teachers having jobs.

I'm sure Wang will pay everything in excess of $350 mil for the arena because he's spent the league lowest payroll for years and can't even afford decent radio coverage.

I'm sure NYI's payroll will be in the top 15 once the new arena is built. I'm sure revenue sharing will cover all that. Without property development.

I'm sure this is a better plan to have taxpayers increase what they will pay instead of having the LHP privately funded.

I'm sure that the scheduled deadline of 8/12 for RFP's for Willets Point had nothing to do with the 8/1 referendum date. I'm sure that if the vote is NO on 8/12, Wang won't apply for Queens.

I'm sure.

Remember, the 7 train, the GCP, LIRR and other ways get you to Queens to watch Grabner, Tavares and YOUR NY ISLANDERS!!!!

I know this is the internet, and it's hard to tell, but I think some of this post is sarcastic!

 

[knorthern knight]

And what happens to taxes when the employees' jobs are lost if the Islanders leave town (team personnel, ticket office employees, team store employees. Heck, even MSG Network employees).

And the amount of money the Islanders paid in taxes as a local business, and the revenue generated for the economy from the Islanders.

Probably more than $58 for each taxpayer.

Is that you Elsie Scruggs? Some recommended reading for you... http://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/product/Field-of-Schemes,673388.aspx

ABOUT THE BOOK
Field of Schemes is a play-by-play account of how the drive for new sports stadiums and arenas drains $2 billion a year from public treasuries for the sake of private profit. While the millionaires who own sports franchises have seen the value of their assets soar under this scheme, taxpayers, urban residents, and sports fans have all come out losers, forced to pay both higher taxes and higher ticket prices for seats that, thanks to the layers of luxury seating that typify new stadiums, usually offer a worse view of the action.

 

[OthmarAmmann]

$11 beer at Yankee stadium.

Ugh. And the new stadium feels so lifeless on top of it. Not much reason to drag yourself up there unless you're a big fan IMO.

Without the Islanders as a tenant NVMC would have maintenance costs and insurance that the Islanders are currently covering.

Without the Islanders as a tenant NVMC would have only demolition costs.

 

[Kanata Senators]

I hope the Islanders get their arena. All these teams moving around makes for bad optics for the league, if you ask me.

 

[KevFu]

Sure thing!

That populated and affluent area of yours provided the WORST attendance in the NHL last year, and may not even vote to build them an arena of appropriate size.

I'll forgive your ignorance of the Islanders situation.

You see, if the Islanders sell out every game they lose money. Because their current lease is so (expletive) ridiculous; and the facility is old and antiquated.

The fans know the situation. It's been the EXACT SAME for 20 years. Change the name behind the title and the Islanders Arena stories in the papers have been IDENTICAL every 5-6 years:

"While some have suggested this project will take six to eight years, that is unacceptable. I want the new sports complex operational for the start of the 2001 Islanders season." - County Executive Thomas S. Gulotta (NY Times, January 29, 1998)

The fans know the situation. But the fans exist. They watch on TV instead of going to the game.

- 10,000 fans went to the arena to watch the Islanders select John Tavares.

- 1,000 Islanders fans showed up to a zoning hearing for the Lighthouse project. That's more people that showed up to save the Coyotes and Thrashers rallies combined. You know what was to be decided at the zoning hearing? NOTHING. Not a damned thing. It was just a "try to show the politicians this is what the people want" meeting.


The Islanders are a sleeping giant. They are a big market Goliath locked in a cage. They'll be let out in 2016 if they get the new arena.

I would be SHOCKED if the Islanders arena vote passes and attendance does not skyrocket next season. The Islanders fans are just waiting to come out of the woodwork.

 

[cjdv16]

I'll forgive your ignorance of the Islanders situation.

You see, if the Islanders sell out every game they lose money. Because their current lease is so (expletive) ridiculous; and the facility is old and antiquated.

The fans know the situation. It's been the EXACT SAME for 20 years. Change the name behind the title and the Islanders Arena stories in the papers have been IDENTICAL every 5-6 years:



The fans know the situation. But the fans exist. They watch on TV instead of going to the game.

- 10,000 fans went to the arena to watch the Islanders select John Tavares.

- 1,000 Islanders fans showed up to a zoning hearing for the Lighthouse project. That's more people that showed up to save the Coyotes and Thrashers rallies combined. You know what was to be decided at the zoning hearing? NOTHING. Not a damned thing. It was just a "try to show the politicians this is what the people want" meeting.


The Islanders are a sleeping giant. They are a big market Goliath locked in a cage. They'll be let out in 2016 if they get the new arena.

I would be SHOCKED if the Islanders arena vote passes and attendance does not skyrocket next season. The Islanders fans are just waiting to come out of the woodwork.

Just reference the 2001 playoffs and then hit the ignore button. It's that simple.

 

[1 Timer]

The funny thing is all new Sports venues in the NYC area have some form of public help. The Yankees and Mets both received money from tax payers. MSG does not pay taxes and the Devils received public funds for the Rock. Ok so it’s the Isles turn and people are now up in arms? why doesnt NC sell the land to Wang for $1 and he can see profits in his life time?

 

[KevFu]

The funny thing is all new Sports venues in the NYC area have some form of public help. The Yankees and Mets both received money from tax payers. MSG does not pay taxes and the Devils received public funds for the Rock. Ok so it’s the Isles turn and people are now up in arms? why doesnt NC sell the land to Wang for $1 and he can see profits in his life time?

What's even more funny to me is how everyone went nuts about the CitiField when the federal government bailed out Citi Bank. There were articles claiming CitField should be renamed "Taxpayer Field."
It's funny because the Mets got the corporate sponsorship from Citi to LOWER TAXPAYER EXPENSE from $600 million to $350 million, and the Yankees just said "nah, we're going to call it Yankee Stadium and send an $880 million bill to the taxpayers."