Crosson says Vegas suits him fine

Business people on Long Island agree that Matthew Crosson has done a lot in his 16 years as president of the Long Island Association, from advocating for workforce housing to promoting the region's high-tech industry.

But a lot of those same business people swear the low-key Crosson takes a shower in his Brooks Brothers suits.

So Crosson in Las Vegas? Crosson's announcement earlier this week that he will become president and chief executive of the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce raised some eyebrows on the Island.

LI public relations maven Gary Lewi posted this on Facebook: "Reserved. Buttoned up. Almost taciturn [Crosson] is going to high-five Las Vegas. Is there a Brooks Brothers on the Strip?"

Crosson, who attended a news conference in Las Vegas on Tuesday announcing his selection, had another view of the situation. "People thinking about Las Vegas think about the Strip," he said by phone from what is still referred to in some quarters as Sin City. "There's a lot more to Las Vegas than the Strip. It's a very vibrant, growing community. The recession has hit it very hard, but the business community is interested in growth."

In one sense, Las Vegas and Long Island are alike: One industry has dominated both places - aerospace on Long Island, gaming in Vegas. Crosson said that the gaming, hospitality and restaurant industry comprise more than 50 percent of Vegas' economy. He hopes to help the city diversify. Crosson acknowledges the locale will be significantly different.

Other people and organizations had approached Crosson, 60, since he said in November that he was leaving the LIA.

"The other people who talked to me were interesting, but there was not quite as dramatic a change" as Vegas offered, Crosson said. "But sometimes in life you need a dramatic change."