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

[Melrose Munch]

It seems pretty silly to me not to have that degree of forward thinking. It might've been better in the long run to plan for the arena to be able to hold an NHL sized rink (or even bigger.)

It was suppsoed to be a dual rink. It got taken out because of time restraints.

 

[LadyStanley]

ChrisBottaNHL
Charles Wang will attempt to reach out to fans beyond #Isles Country by going on with “Boomer & Carton†and Mike Francesa next week.

 

[LadyStanley]

ChrisBottaNHL
#Isles deny internet report from Coliseum worker that team is signing a lease with another city as fallback prior to Aug 1 vote.

 

[DisplacedIslander]

Charles Wang interview with Newsday - 7/24/11

During an interview with Newsday reporters and editors, Wang maintained that, as a Long Island er who lives in Oyster Bay , he wants to keep the franchise in Nassau . But without a new arena to replace the facility, he said, the team "certainly cannot stay" after its lease with the county expires in 2015.

 

[Isles Junkie]

Interviews with Mike Francessa who is NYCs most popular (and dumbest) sports talk radio host. But Francessa does a good job here. He is a nassau resident & he supports the plan.

Jay Jacobs (democratic opposition give an embarrassing interview):
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/?podcas...=Mike+Francesa&station_id=91&tag=&dcid=CBS.NY

Charles Wang http://newyork.cbslocal.com/?podcas...=Mike+Francesa&station_id=91&tag=&dcid=CBS.NY

Ed Mangano (Nassau County Executive) http://newyork.cbslocal.com/?podcas...=Mike+Francesa&station_id=91&tag=&dcid=CBS.NY

 

[nyrmetros]

Interesting that Mike supports the plan.............

 

[Isles Junkie]

maybe he grew a brain over the summer. maybe Wang paid him off to support it publicly? who knows. who cares. yesterday was a good day for the YES crowd.

 

[Dolemite]

Love how the Nassau County Legislature's website isn't working prior to the vote on Aug 1.

http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Legis/index.html

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Do we have any idea on if the referendum is expected to pass or not?

 

[letsgoisles89]

Do we have any idea on if the referendum is expected to pass or not?

I expect it to pass, but its really up in the air at this point.

the isles have been making a big push this week reaching out to the public and things are looking good right now.

 

[Dolemite]

After looking over some of the news and info about the Islanders arena vote I have one initial reaction....

The message of voting for the Islanders arena would probably get out to more people in the online world if they didn't have to pay for it. I get why organizations like Newsday and News 12 Long Island (Wang is appearing on this channel right now) are charging for their online coverage but not everyone is going to be able to watch it and get the word out....especially if they are Islanders fans WAY outside the Long Island/NYC area.

 

[kdb209]

Do we have any idea on if the referendum is expected to pass or not?

I've searched around and come up empty.

Has anyone seen any actual polling on the issue?

 

[KevFu]

I've searched around and come up empty.

Has anyone seen any actual polling on the issue?

Yes.
51% are against using tax dollars to build the Islanders an arena
37% support using tax dollars to build the arena.
12% are undecided, saying they need more information.
(MOE +/- 3.9%)

But that is a little misleading.

#1 - it's out of 620 people.

#2 - The language and method used wasn't an indicator of how the vote will go.

-- 68% agreed that the county should do everything in its power to keep the Islanders in Nassau
-- 74% said the Arena area land should be developed to boost the economy.

Those numbers conflict with the "results" of the poll. How can 68% say everything in their power, and 51% be against using tax dollars?


#3 - (Most importantly) There's zero indication how many of those CARE ENOUGH to ACTUALLY VOTE on the issue, which was never asked.

On August 1, there's nothing else to vote on. Polls are open for this issue, and this issue only (brilliant move by the pro-Arena crowd).

So, that's really the biggest question: How many people show up to vote? You have to think that the people with the strongest opinions on the matter are: Islanders fans and union workers.

62% percent of voters said they thought would be paying $50 to $60 in additional property taxes if they built the arena.

But that is totally incorrect. Cost to taxpayers is actually $13.80 if they build (and it's $16 if the Islanders move). If 62% of the people are THAT misinformed, you have to assume that a MASSIVE CHUNK of that 62% don't care enough to go vote, if they never bothered to actually READ any of the information on the project.



Here's the poll:
http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infom...feed:c=topstories&feed:i=1.3047201&nopaging=1

 

[Dado]

How can 68% say everything in their power, and 51% be against using tax dollars?

If you don't believe subsidizing a professional sports team with tax dollars will improve the local economy (which is likely the case, frankly) then there is no conflict between those numbers.

 

[Renbarg]

After looking over some of the news and info about the Islanders arena vote I have one initial reaction....

The message of voting for the Islanders arena would probably get out to more people in the online world if they didn't have to pay for it. I get why organizations like Newsday and News 12 Long Island (Wang is appearing on this channel right now) are charging for their online coverage but not everyone is going to be able to watch it and get the word out....especially if they are Islanders fans WAY outside the Long Island/NYC area.

Newsday isn't in the business of trying to get people to get out and vote yes. I know Dolan supports the referendum but I don't know if Newsday's editors have an official position yet (and I'm not sure what it would be).

For the record Newsday made a poor marketing decision imo but most LIers get their stuff free online (if they are Cablevision subscribers).

Not having this info available to those outside the immediate area is negligible imo. Those who would be motivated enough to try to get Nassau county residents to vote would be getting their info from somewhere else or subscribed in the first place.

 

[Dolemite]

Newsday isn't in the business of trying to get people to get out and vote yes. I know Dolan supports the referendum but I don't know if Newsday's editors have an official position yet (and I'm not sure what it would be).

Yup. Just an observation, that's all.

For the record Newsday made a poor marketing decision imo but most LIers get their stuff free online (if they are Cablevision subscribers).

Not having this info available to those outside the immediate area is negligible imo. Those who would be motivated enough to try to get Nassau county residents to vote would be getting their info from somewhere else or subscribed in the first place.

That may be. However, when it's dead during the offseason this story will more than likely be the biggest news next week.

 

[Roomtemperature]

So worst case let's say the vote comes in no, do you really think its the last chance? Will Wang aggressively look to relocation or what

 

[KevFu]

If you don't believe subsidizing a professional sports team with tax dollars will improve the local economy (which is likely the case, frankly) then there is no conflict between those numbers.

There is plenty of conflict.

If 51% don't believe the county should use tax dollars to build the arena;
and 68% think the county should do everything in their power to keep the Islanders

Obviously, only 17% think that using tax dollars to build an arena is within the county's powers. Because 51% supported "everything in their power" but not "using tax dollars."

 

[LadyStanley]

mirtle 11:14am via TweetDeck Glen Sather: "We urge Rangers fans, Islanders fans and all hockey fans in Nassau County to vote yes for the referendum on Monday."




Politics trumps rivalry.

 

[KevFu]

Glen Sather: "We urge Rangers fans, Islanders fans and all hockey fans in Nassau County to vote yes for the referendum on Monday."

Politics trumps rivalry.

Preservation of the rivalry trumps hatred of the opponent.

 

[and 99 others]

Preservation of the rivalry trumps hatred of the opponent.

I wouldn't call it a rivalry. More like Islanders despise the Rangers, while to the Rangers: the Islanders are like that annoying cousin that you only have to put up with for a few times a year.

 

[Tres Peleches]

I wouldn't call it a rivalry. More like Islanders despise the Rangers, while to the Rangers: the Islanders are like that annoying cousin that you only have to put up with for a few times a year.

No... Im pretty sure both teams hate eachother... but neither would want the other to leave because theyre always fun games to watch

 

[and 99 others]

No... Im pretty sure both teams hate eachother... but neither would want the other to leave because theyre always fun games to watch

As a Rangers fan, yes: it's true that I dislike the Islanders, but in recent years the rivalry has dwindled away as there isn't really much competition between the two teams anymore (no offense). I would consider the rivalry between the Devils-Rangers much more, should I say... relevant?

However, I really hope the Nassau county members vote to keep the Islanders where they belong: on the Island.

 

[KevFu]

As a Rangers fan, yes: it's true that I dislike the Islanders, but in recent years the rivalry has dwindled away as there isn't really much competition between the two teams anymore (no offense). I would consider the rivalry between the Devils-Rangers much more, should I say... relevant?

However, I really hope the Nassau county members vote to keep the Islanders where they belong: on the Island.

Yeah, the rivalry has dwindled as the Isles have been in the cellar... but it's still intense.

In descending order, rivalries are best when:
Both teams are really good and meeting in the playoffs (CF ideally)
Both teams are pretty good and fighting for a playoff spot (last spot)
One team is really good, the other isn't as good; and one is spoiling things for the other.
Both teams are bad, and they're fighting for the championship of each other.

 

[Space Herpe]

So worst case let's say the vote comes in no, do you really think its the last chance? Will Wang aggressively look to relocation or what

The Isles lease is up in 2015.
Wang (and Bettman) have both said the Isles will not stay in the building one minute longer than they have to.