Gambling at the Hub an Election Day bet?

Daily Point

Counting on voters who oppose gaming at Nassau Hub

Gambling at the Nassau Hub has become a sure bet as an Election Day issue. Nearby residents who opposed the Las Vegas Sands proposal are still lit up like a slot machine entering the final weeks of the campaigns for Town of Hempstead supervisor and Nassau County executive.

As the pool of potential casino licensees statewide shrank to three applicants for three licenses, with MGM Grand in Yonkers bowing out Tuesday, it revived the possibility of the state only awarding two licenses, leaving the possibility of a site selection for a later competition. Since the Town of Hempstead rezoned the land surrounding Nassau Coliseum in June to allow gambling there, the Hub property could be a contender in such a future bid. The withdrawal of MGM from the Yonkers site also almost guarantees that at least one site in Queens will win a top prize. And that potentially opens the door for another possibility: a smaller facility for casino video lottery terminals at the Hub.

The casino opponents are ready.

"John Ferretti voted to put a casino in your backyard," said one mailer that went out recently from the Democrats. "We can't gamble on John Ferretti as supervisor."

Ferretti was one of 17 county lawmakers to vote in favor of granting Sands a lease at the Hub in 2023 — including all but two Democrats. And it was then-Supervisor Donald Clavin Jr. who engineered the permissive rezoning. Clavin’s controversial resignation in favor of Ferretti only adds to the frustration about town governance.

The anti-casino push comes as observers wondered whether the state Gaming Commission would actually choose three licensees when just three applicants remain — Metropolitan Park at Citi Field, Resorts World at Aqueduct and Bally's in the Bronx, just over the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge.

If the commission awards only one or two licenses, those observers said, state officials might decide to start a new process, giving more bidders, including potentially for the Nassau Hub, a shot.

"When Sands decided to not pursue their proposal at the Coliseum site, a tremendous amount of interest was shown from other parties in taking over that proposal, but time was too short to affect any kind of transfer," said one insider in the gaming industry in New York. "If the state doesn't proceed with awarding all three [licenses], there's a new opportunity for the only other shovel-ready site outside of the existing bidders for a casino in the New York metro area — and that's the Coliseum site."

Also possible: The chance that Nassau County could bring its 1,000 slot machines from Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens to the Hub, if Aqueduct gets a full license. Others, however, wondered whether the county's video lottery terminals, or VLTs, could now go to Yonkers.

And amid all that talk, opponents to a casino at the Hub are throwing their support behind Ferretti’s challenger, Democrat Joe Scianablo. And some of that support is coming from unlikely nooks of the town, including the GOP bastion of Garden City.

The Say No to the Casino Civic Association, which draws much of its support from areas like Garden City, has emerged in support of Scianablo, who himself lives there. Manhasset resident Allison O'Brien Silva, one of the civic association's leaders, told The Point that Scianablo has been "very receptive" to the group — and the organization now is trying to spread the word, inviting him to speak to its supporters at a meeting scheduled for next Wednesday.

"Our group is a shining example of what can happen when you put politics aside, and you work together on an issue that unites the community so passionately," O'Brien Silva said.

The civic association's support for Scianablo is one of several factors that could change the dynamic of the town supervisor race, creating schisms in GOP strongholds. Beyond issues like the casino, voters already are dismayed by the process that allowed Ferretti, who lives in Levittown, to become an incumbent supervisor just months before the election.

But the casino issue may gain more traction than others.

In June, the Hempstead Town Council zoned the property to allow for gaming as one of a multitude of uses for the land around Nassau Coliseum. Civic association supporters are hoping the new town supervisor and town board might consider undoing the zoning change to prevent gaming from being an allowed use at the site. But it's unclear whether the board — even if Scianablo was elected — would support such a change.

During his endorsement meeting with the Newsday editorial board, Scianablo said he would "look into every legal avenue" to evaluate the town's zoning for the Hub, and would examine the possibility of rezoning to eliminate gaming as a use, noting that while he's not anti-casino, and he's pro-union labor, he particularly rejects the idea of slot machines at the Hub.

O'Brien Silva told The Point that the group sent Ferretti a questionnaire to learn his views — but Ferretti never responded. So, the association's attention is now on Scianablo.

"Learn how a candidate for TOH Supervisor who is not working for LV Sands and is opposed to gambling at the Nassau Coliseum site could help turn around the improper rezoning for gambling that took place in June," said the civic association's flyer advertising its upcoming event.

While many of the group's members also are supporting Nassau County Legis. Seth Koslow, the Democratic candidate for county executive, over Republican incumbent Bruce Blakeman, who was Sands' biggest booster, the association has focused its attention on the town supervisor race, O'Brien Silva said.

"Our group is behind any candidate of any party willing to fight for a future at the Hub that does not involve gambling," O'Brien Silva said. "There are Republicans and Democrats from Garden City in our groups who are absolutely going to support Joe now because of his willingness to engage with us and the hopefulness that if he wins, he'll try to ensure a better future for the Hub than what the Republicans are offering."

Ten years ago, Democrat Madeline Singas declared victory in the county district attorney's race — and attributed her win in part to New York Islanders fans, who supported plans for a revitalized Nassau Hub, including a renovated Coliseum, which Singas' GOP opponent, then-Town Supervisor Kate Murray, opposed.

This time, it's the opposition that's hoping to win the day.

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

Pencil Point

The downer

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Final Point

Islip's Kuhn, a leader in much criticized NYS GOP group, condemns racist and ugly statements

After members of a statewide young Republican organization were accused of sharing racist and Hitler-praising texts in a group chat, a Suffolk County candidate in Islip is feeling the heat.

Politico reported Tuesday that several officials of the New York State Young Republicans participated in a group chat with colleagues in other states that referred to Black people as "monkeys," praised Nazis and Adolf Hitler, and mused about creating gas chambers. There were, Politico reports, 2,900 pages of vile discussions between members of the national group that had some influence among the MAGA supporters of President Donald Trump.

As of Wednesday, New York State Young Republicans chairman Peter Giunta was fired as chief of staff for Assemb. Michael Reilly. Other political casualties include Bobby Walker, who Politico said was about to join an upstate Republican's congressional campaign, and Joseph Maligno, who was self-identified as the general counsel of the political group. State GOP chair Ed Cox and Rep. Elise Stefanik, long considered in the running for the Republican nod for governor, denounced the chat.

But at least one local NYS Young Republicans official is so far escaping repercussions.

Islip Town Board candidate DawnMarie Kuhn, a Republican strategist and chief of staff of Suffolk Legis. Anthony Piccirillo, is the group's recording secretary. She is not cited in the Politico report for having participated in the group chat. Kuhn is running for Islip Town's 2nd Council District. Her opponent, David Chan, issued a statement Wednesday that Kuhn should step down.

Kuhn told The Point she was not in the group text and is "devastated" by its contents.

"Of course I condemn in the highest regard" the posts, Kuhn said.

Islip Town GOP chair and Assemb. Doug Smith defended Kuhn Wednesday, saying she was not part of the text chain cited by Politico.

"The Suffolk County Young Republicans condemn this in the highest degree possible," Smith told The Point. "This is not what we stand for."

Smith said he and Kuhn have been longtime members of young Republican groups but were "shocked" at the language in the Politico report. He said Kuhn would not resign as a Suffolk County employee or stop campaigning since she didn't participate in the widely condemned chat.

After inquiries from The Point, Kuhn this afternoon posted on her "DawnMarie for Islip" page on Facebook in all caps: "LET ME BE CLEAR: I WAS NOT IN THE GROUP CHAT- LET ME REPEAT, I WAS NOT IN THE GROUP CHAT."

The NYS Young Republicans' website is now down, but it contained many photos of Kuhn with Giunta and Walker as well as photos with Suffolk County elected officials.

In an Oct. 6 social media post, Kuhn stated, "Excited that the New York State Young Republicans will be coming down to Islip for the fall meeting & blitz! Save the date and join the fun on Saturday October 18th!" Presumably, the event is not going forward.

As for political fallout, one insider told The Point that these days a candidate being associated with something negative doesn't preclude them from office. "This would have, 20 years ago, been the end of her campaign," a longtime political insider said. 

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

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