Cuomo: No plans to intervene on Nassau Hub, Islanders
Nassau Coliseum may no longer be home to the New York Islanders come 2015. Credit: Getty Images, 2011
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Friday he has no plans to unilaterally intervene to spur redevelopment of the Nassau Hub to keep the Islanders there.
Asked by Newsday during a tour of an East Farmingdale manufacturer, Cuomo said he would take direction from the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council.
The council last month requested $2 million in state aid for some infrastructure work at the Hub. Cuomo said the proposal was being considered along with similar requests from other regional councils.
“We’ll get involved in whatever the council wants us to get involved in,” Cuomo said. “Rather than Albany deciding what to get involved in, I say to the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, ‘You tell me what’s important, you tell me your priorities and I’ll work on whatever you deem important.’ … So, whatever the important projects, as determined by the council, we’ll be there 100 percent.”
The council has designated the Hub a “priority project” for state funding this year; it was not recommended last year.
Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano asked Cuomo on Friday to become involved during a bus tour of local laboratories and businesses.
Mangano told Newsday he will meet with council leaders next week to ask them to request Cuomo’s involvement in jump-starting redevelopment of the Hub.
Mangano said, “I'm optimistic that working together we can come up with a plan that is inviting to the Islanders.”
Cuomo has been in negotiations to keep the Buffalo Bills football team in western New York.
New York Islanders owner Charles Wang has said he will not keep the team in the current arena, Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, past 2015, when the team's lease expires.
Pictured above: The Nassau Coliseum
