Rolling the dice on Hub casino, stop sign cameras, more

Rolling the dice on the Sands casino

The roughly $165 million spent to renovate Nassau Coliseum just six years ago was wasted. Will the “striking” aluminum fins be sold for scrap? How long will the proposed new casino structures last?

The multibillion-dollar Las Vegas Sands “integrated resort” has been proposed to fill the vacuum [“Final casino lease vote,” News, May 22]. Every dollar of revenue from the project will come at a cost to Nassau County, even as some individuals and groups reap benefits from the project. Uniondale may get a new library, but the county will have to pay for major infrastructure upgrades.

Union members and developers will get some great Hub construction jobs, but don’t expect anyone’s real estate or school taxes to go down.

The social cost of gambling is growing with the explosion of 24/7 accessibility. I wonder if legislators would be as excited about a state-of-the-art, 72-acre farm and research center to tackle some of our food cost and distribution problems.

Nassau County is mortgaging its economic future and quality of life on an unreliable stream of revenue and jobs while ignoring long-term innovation and development.

— Daniel Oppenheimer, Hempstead

I was at the legislative session where our elected officials voted to approve the lease transfer to Las Vegas Sands. I found it interesting that the opposition was comprised of nearly all Garden City residents. This is a community where many have little need to find jobs and whose children can afford tuition for expensive colleges without crippling loans or worries about how to repay them. This is a community where there are homes valued in the millions of dollars.

Meanwhile, their talking points focused on transparency and how the casino will prey on minority communities. Really?

This is NIMBYism at its finest. The opposition does not want what does not directly benefit them. And that’s a shame because this project would benefit them.

As for many of us in Uniondale, we welcome the project with open arms.

 — Hakeem Edwards, Uniondale

Some legislators want to use the funds from a Las Vegas Sands casino for their constituents [“Final casino lease vote,” News, May 22]. That would serve only their community.

A better idea would be to pass legislation that Nassau County must use the funds to reduce the taxes we pay. This would help all of the county residents, not just a select few, and would be a much fairer and useful solution. Conceivably, this could prevent the egress of our residents to places with lower taxes.

 — Richard Levens, Lynbrook

A reader mischaracterizes the current state of Atlantic City [“Verdict still out on casino hub,” Letters, May 21]. It has several new, seemingly successful casinos. It also has a new water park, concerts and fireworks on the beach in the summer, a gorgeous high-end outlet center and more.

The old casinos? There are no “closed” eyesores, as the reader suggests.

 — Lisa Ritchie, Massapequa

Please: Put a camera by my stop sign

I would love to have a camera put by my street’s stop sign [“Stop-sign cameras amount to no good,” Letters, May 22]. We have had police park on our street and pull over one car after another, catching drivers speeding through the stop sign. But they can’t be there all the time.

I shouldn’t have to risk my life every time I leave my block. My husband and I joke that if police were always there, the fines would fully fund Suffolk County.

It is aggravating to look out my kitchen window and see numerous cars, trucks, motorcycles and buses driving through without even braking.

I don’t feel sorry for those who complain about cameras. 

— Joy Rubenstein, Lake Ronkonkoma

Parents should worry about these groomers

I will be waiting for the moral outrage regarding the reprehensible level of child sexual abuse carried out and hidden by the Illinois Catholic clergy [“Illinois A.G.: More abuse by clergy than admitted,” Nation, May 24].

Since many have taken such a strong stance for the safety of our nation’s children, I know they will stand up and protect children from the Catholic clergy who indoctrinate and groom our children.

Armed with scant evidence and opinions, government officials and school boards across the country have stood up against the unproven and supposed evils of LGBTQ and drag performers.

It makes sense to assume that the same fear that drives the vilification of drag performers will spill over to the Catholic clergy, who have far greater contact with and influence over children. It would be hypocritical of those concerned about LGBTQ not to demand the protection of our children from Church officials.

— Paul Schaefer, Holbrook