Irony behind Islanders' new lighthouse jersey
A rendering of the Lighthouse Project first proposed two decades ago and inset, the winner of this year's Islanders alternate jersey contest. Credit: New York Islanders, handout
The New York Islanders are finally getting their Lighthouse.
Sort of.
More than two decades after former Islanders owner Charles Wang first proposed the Lighthouse Project, his $3.8 billion dream of bringing housing, retail, commercial space, a renovated arena and a regional economic boost, the 72 acres surrounding Nassau Coliseum remain a sea of empty asphalt.
But last week, after 80,000+ submissions and several rounds of voting, hockey fans chose the winning design for their team's third jersey, picking a navy sweater featuring ... a lighthouse.
Shortly after the announcement, someone I've known since the days when Wang was fighting for his Lighthouse sent me a brief note.
"The Lighthouse Project finally comes to fruition," he wrote sarcastically. "Charles Wang would be so proud."
Well, no. The alternate jersey with beams of light against a navy background probably wouldn't make Wang, who died in 2018, proud. But as a symbol that for years was tied to the Islanders' search for a permanent home, it does serve as a reminder of what might have been and of the journey the team has taken in the 22 years since Wang first unveiled his vision.
At the peak of his efforts, in the fall of 2008, a minute-long jingle began appearing online, on local television, even on the Coliseum scoreboard during hockey games. (It's preserved on YouTube for those who seek a trip down memory lane.)
"Right at the heart of us is our new shining star. It's a home team, Island dream, it's everything we are..." a voice sang, as colorful images of Long Island, the Islanders, the promised development and even Wang himself flashed across the screen. "Meet me at the Lighthouse, oh, and don't forget your smile."
It was the ultimate in cheesy, hopeful, positive ad campaigning, accompanied by a slew of news conferences, rallies and even banners on the old barn itself. The development, another video said, would be "that beacon of light that shines on our proud Island" and a "spark of new life" for the region.
Unfortunately, that light — cheery ad campaign and all — dimmed pretty quickly. In the months that followed, Wang and his development partner, Scott Rechler, fought against a rising tide of opposition, and could not gain the necessary approvals from the Town of Hempstead and its then-Supervisor Kate Murray. By 2010, the Lighthouse Project had gone dark. Future attempts to revive it or try something different, like the 2011 public referendum to build a new arena on the county land, failed too. Eventually, the Coliseum got a bit of a facelift, but nowadays, public events there are few, and the land around it remains devoid of economic activity, despite idea after idea after idea — from housing to healthcare to a casino resort.
It's most certainly not a "spark of new life" for Long Island.
Meanwhile, the team was forced to find a new home. But thanks in part to Wang, the Islanders defied expectations and remained in New York, first in Brooklyn and then, finally, at a brand new arena — albeit in Elmont, not Uniondale. With transportation and parking complexities, it's imperfect but UBS Arena has become the team's "beacon of light."
So, perhaps a lighthouse is the right symbol for the Islanders' third jersey, a remarkable image reflecting both the failures of the past and the promise of the present. What it might say about the future — for the team and that vast, darkened parking lot in Uniondale — remains to be seen.
Columnist Randi F. Marshall's opinions are her own.
Randi Marshall is a member of the Newsday editorial board.
