Nassau County Exec Mangano & Islanders reach deal on new LI Coliseum pending Voter approval

[Shortline Bus]

He wants an arena that he doesn't have to fight over. That new arena in Brooklyn is already scheduled to host many other events besides the Nets games and having that many events in one place means more than likely sh*tty ice to play on, not to mention longer road trips than usual to accomodate the other events, which could put the team at a disadvantage. He is smart not to move to Brooklyn. He wants an arena that can attract big names in the sport and moving to Brooklyn would not do that. The New York Islanders do have history on Long Island. They have won several Stanley Cups, but their glory days have been long gone, especially because they don't have a new arena to bring in the big names to make the team a contender again.

 

The Rangers are an original six team, so automatically players want to play for the Rangers. The Islanders especially these days are sort of a has been looking to improve.

 

All and all, Mangano is making a smart move. The new arena will create thousands of local jobs, both short term and long term, some of those jobs will be high paying jobs (i.e. construction, etc.) and it will allow Long Island to host other big time events to draw more money into Nassau County. The difference is that the Islanders will still be the big event since they won't be competing for attention from another professional team.

 

 

I also agree with Mangano on the transportation issue. It's as if there is a love affair with the . Is there no other capable transportation agency around that can move people efficiently and be cost effective??? Clearly the majority of the people that voted for him seem to think that there is. Aside from this forum and the folks that use LIB, I haven't heard many Long Islanders complaining about the whole thing, so it seems to me that the majority of Long Islanders want this. Their property taxes and such are sky high so they're looking for relief wherever they can get it.

 

 

 

 

You said the key word... INVEST and this is exactly what it's about. Long Island overall will benefit from the new arena and the $400 million spent will bring back much more in returns by way of jobs, other events will folks will spend money and may help to spur further local growth with people coming to the arena and then going around Long Island to shop etc. If Mangano can get more done with another transportation provider, more power to him. I quite frankly am sick of the and their lack of accountability and reckless spending except for when it comes to services. There it's cut cut cut. As an a fiscally conservative Independent, Ed Mangano would certainly get my vote.

 

Would you be endorsing this Garibaldi if say this was the NBA Nets coming back to LI and sharing the arena with the Islanders? Or just the Nets alone?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Would you be endorsing this Garibaldi if say this was the NBA Nets coming back to LI and sharing the arena with the Islanders? Or just the Nets alone?

 

 

Too many ifs in the situation to give a yes or no answer quite frankly. I will say this though... I could never see the Nets coming to Long Island to begin with because I don't they want some team from New Jersey quite frankly. I find many Long Islanders to be sort of snobby, so that's one reason why I could never envision the Nets coming to Long Island. The Islanders are a completely different story. Back in the day, when they were winning Stanley Cups with Bossy and the crew, the Islanders brought a sense of pride to many Long Islanders and that's one of the reasons why the Islander vs Ranger games are still big. There's this Long Island vs New York City thing underneath it all and the Islanders have always been Long Island's "team" from the start since they came in.

[lilbluefoxie]

 

Well, casino's have a tendency to attract stragglers (see atlantic city & that casino out in Yonkers).... furthermore, the "spillage" from Hempstead carries over to Uniondale (in other words, the area, currently, isn't much to be desired)... both those areas are synonymous w/ each other.... I'd be a little concerned about the QoL of that area also.....

 

what I'm trying to say is, the area is already practically a ghetto, it cant get any worse down there, and if it does, get the cops to patrol the area for real crimes, not speed trapping which is what they appear to be doing most of the time.

[Shortline Bus]

... I could never see the Nets coming to Long Island to begin with because I don't they want some team from New Jersey quite frankly. I find many Long Islanders to be sort of snobby, so that's one reason why I could never envision the Nets coming to Long Island. The Islanders are a completely different story. Back in the day, when they were winning Stanley Cups with Bossy and the crew, the Islanders brought a sense of pride to many Long Islanders and that's one of the reasons why the Islander vs Ranger games are still big. There's this Long Island vs New York City thing underneath it all and the Islanders have always been Long Island's "team" from the start since they came in.

 

 

FYI. In their early years the Nets were a charter member of the ABA (American Basketball Association) pro hoops version of the old WHA (World Hockey Association)

 

Nets first long term 'home arena' was the Nassau Colesium and their 'star' player was Juluis Erving aka "Dr. J"from I think Hempstead, LI.

Nets moved to NJ around 1980, when then new Meadowlands arena opened.

 

Nets won the ABA titles in 1974 and '76 before they merged into the NBA. For most of their NBA history other than making the NBA Championship in 2002 and '03, they have sucked. So the Nets and Islanders do share a history together in the 1970's.

[SubwayGuy]

Nice to see the Coyotes are staying put in Phoenix, although I still think it would be great to see hockey again in Winnipeg. :cool:

 

Atlanta may well move to Winnipeg in the next few years.

 

Quebec City does not have the ability to support a team (too small), and Hamilton is too close to Toronto.

 

Milwaukee is/should be another possibility for NHL relocation.

[SubwayGuy]

The Rangers are an original six team, so automatically players want to play for the Rangers. The Islanders especially these days are sort of a has been looking to improve.

 

The Rangers have ownership that spends money (albeit not wisely). There is something to be said about a fanbase that shows up and a team that pays the money, players know they will get paid if they sign with the Rangers...has nothing to do with original 6 or not...

 

All and all, Mangano is making a smart move. The new arena will create thousands of local jobs, both short term and long term, some of those jobs will be high paying jobs (i.e. construction, etc.) and it will allow Long Island to host other big time events to draw more money into Nassau County. The difference is that the Islanders will still be the big event since they won't be competing for attention from another professional team.

 

If you believe that I got a bridge to sell you. I'm happy the Islanders are reported to be staying because the Islander/Ranger rivalry is important to keep but this is just politician spin to avoid being the one who lets the team go. The Nassau Coliseum is a s***hole but having the taxpayers finance almost the whole thing is a fleecing. Sure a few jobs get created, big whoop, but what good is putting a bunch of shopping centers around? You want to create jobs, and create progress, you need to start investing in infrastructure and manufacturing, not the expansion of "America the great shopping mall selling the cheap chinese knockoffs"

 

 

I also agree with Mangano on the transportation issue. It's as if there is a love affair with the . Is there no other capable transportation agency around that can move people efficiently and be cost effective??? Clearly the majority of the people that voted for him seem to think that there is. Aside from this forum and the folks that use LIB, I haven't heard many Long Islanders complaining about the whole thing, so it seems to me that the majority of Long Islanders want this. Their property taxes and such are sky high so they're looking for relief wherever they can get it.

 

That's because most Long Islanders own cars. But the problem is that no one has any money for anything anymore including governments. When some rich suit that owns a company worth millions wants a stadium built, he should assume some of the construction costs. Charles Wang is a cheap f*** who has deliberately run the Islanders into the ground like a petulant child crying for a new stadium in LI or relocation to KC and refusing to spend above the salary floor until he got his way. Pocketing the profits, however small, along the way. What a f***ing baby, and what a joke. The municipality should not "pay for everything" while the owner sits back and pockets the rewards at no risk. That's the problem with business and politics today...businessmen pocket money and the public takes the risk. Privatized profits, socialized losses. It's horseshit.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Atlanta may well move to Winnipeg in the next few years.

 

Quebec City does not have the ability to support a team (too small), and Hamilton is too close to Toronto.

 

Milwaukee is/should be another possibility for NHL relocation.

 

As much as I would love to see hockey again in Winnipeg, I don't see how they can support a NHL team either. They're a small market club as well. Québec City I'm sure would love to have one, especially since it's a French Canadian city, but as you said, they're very small too. I thought I had heard somewhere that they were prepared to build a new arena or something of the sort. I maybe mixing them up with Hartford. Hartford may get an expansion team down the road sometime. They seem to want a team after years of being without the Whalers. ;(

 

FYI. In their early years the Nets were a charter member of the ABA (American Basketball Association) pro hoops version of the old WHA (World Hockey Association)

 

Nets first long term 'home arena' was the Nassau Colesium and their 'star' player was Juluis Erving aka "Dr. J"from I think Hempstead, LI.

Nets moved to NJ around 1980, when then new Meadowlands arena opened.

 

Nets won the ABA titles in 1974 and '76 before they merged into the NBA. For most of their NBA history other than making the NBA Championship in 2002 and '03, they have sucked. So the Nets and Islanders do share a history together in the 1970's.

 

 

See how much I know about basketball??

 

Even so, that was so long ago that I can't see them wanting the team. Besides, why did they leave Long Island anyway?? Back then the Nassau Colosseum wasn't that old.

[SubwayGuy]

As much as I would love to see hockey again in Winnipeg, I don't see how they can support a NHL team either. They're a small market club as well. Québec City I'm sure would love to have one, especially since it's a French Canadian city, but as you said, they're very small too. I thought I had heard somewhere that they were prepared to build a new arena or something of the sort. I maybe mixing them up with Hartford. Hartford may get an expansion team down the road sometime. They seem to want a team after years of being without the Whalers. ;(

 

Winnipeg is bigger than Quebec City and has grown since 1996 when the Jets were moved to Phoenix. It would be borderline but probably better than Atlanta for sustaining a team. Unfortunately the only sport they seem to care about in Atlanta is the bane of my existence...amateur (college) football. Even when the Braves were winning year in and year out they couldn't sell out Turner Field except for the World Series.

 

Hartford is already the home of the AHL Connecticut Whale team so it can't sustain both an NHL and an AHL team. Any team there couldn't be the Whalers anyway (hence why the AHL team is the CT Whale), as the Whaler trademarks are still owned by the Hurricanes franchise.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The Rangers have ownership that spends money (albeit not wisely). There is something to be said about a fanbase that shows up and a team that pays the money, players know they will get paid if they sign with the Rangers...has nothing to do with original 6 or not....

 

Yes, you're totally right. They do spend money, although not wisely, but you can't tell me that it has nothing to do with them being an original six team. You have guys that sign with teams like the Canadiens for less money because they know what a great hockey city Montréal is the history of the team. New York is a big market city where a player can make a name for themselves, so yes, being an original 6 team does have its selling points for a guy trying to make a name for himself. In the long run the exposure could land him a fat contract if he plays well and produces. Less chances of that if you're playing in a small market city even if you're really good because they may not have the cash to sign you to a big deal.

 

 

 

If you believe that I got a bridge to sell you. I'm happy the Islanders are reported to be staying because the Islander/Ranger rivalry is important to keep but this is just politician spin to avoid being the one who lets the team go. The Nassau Coliseum is a s***hole but having the taxpayers finance almost the whole thing is a fleecing. Sure a few jobs get created, big whoop, but what good is putting a bunch of shopping centers around? You want to create jobs, and create progress, you need to start investing in infrastructure and manufacturing, not the expansion of "America the great shopping mall selling the cheap chinese knockoffs"

Well yeah, the Chinese knockoffs I don't support, but you can't tell me that the new arena won't be an economic boost for Nassau County. The arena could hold other events that could draw folks out to Long Island to spend money in other places and explore Long Island.

 

 

 

That's because most Long Islanders own cars. But the problem is that no one has any money for anything anymore including governments. When some rich suit that owns a company worth millions wants a stadium built, he should assume some of the construction costs. Charles Wang is a cheap f*** who has deliberately run the Islanders into the ground like a petulant child crying for a new stadium in LI or relocation to KC and refusing to spend above the salary floor until he got his way. Pocketing the profits, however small, along the way. What a f***ing baby, and what a joke. The municipality should not "pay for everything" while the owner sits back and pockets the rewards at no risk. That's the problem with business and politics today...businessmen pocket money and the public takes the risk. Privatized profits, socialized losses. It's horseshit.

 

I disagree with you on Wang. The guy has poured a lot of money into the Islanders and has received very little in return and everyone in the NHL knows this and has talked about it at length. The Islanders weren't just a mess because Wang arrived. They've been a mess since I could remember and they do have some promising players in Okposo and Tavares. They played some of the top teams rather hard last season, but were hit with the injury bug. In this age of the new arena, Wang has sacrificed a lot to keep the Islanders on Long Island, with a sh*tty arena, which means that he is at a disadvantage to sign top tier players because of the lack of luxury suites and so forth that a new arena would provide, not to mention a new source of revenue that is a must in order for a team like the Islanders to compete. If you look at all of the hockey clubs in the NHL, you can count the teams on one hand who don't have a new arena that was build recently and that would be the Rangers, Red Wings, Oilers and the Islanders. The Rangers and Red Wings are both original six clubs that can still compete without the new arena for now because they've got the cash. The Oilers despite their history and success are still a small market club just like the Islanders and both are rebuilding, although the Oilers went to the finals a few years back. Both the Oilers and Islanders need new arenas if they have any chance of remaining in their respective cities. Calgary could also use a new arena as well.

[Shortline Bus]

 

 

 

See how much I know about basketball??

 

Even so, that was so long ago that I can't see them wanting the team. Besides, why did they leave Long Island anyway?? Back then the Nassau Colosseum wasn't that old.

 

Long story but here the main reasons. Mainly because the Nets oringal owners became broke/bankrupt when they merged into the NBA. At same time they traded away the "Micheal Jordan or Lebraon" of pro basketball in 1970's, "Dr.J' cause they could not afford him.

Plus they left for NJ since they were '2nd class citizens' at Nassau to then Stanley Cup Contenders(late champions)Islanders as then 'new' meadowlands arena at 1st tried to move both the Knicks and Rangers but failed. Jersey did not want an empty arena.

Thus the Nets moved from Long Island and the Devils from Colorado in 1981.

[SoSpectacular]

Sometimes we have to make sacrifices, you don't need a luxury "suite" just to be able to play, a regular locker room does just fine last I checked

[Tokkemon]

If the NHL expands again, it should be to Winnipeg and Hamilton, Ontario. Quebec City is too close (about a 90-minute drive)to Montreal.

 

As opposed to Hamilton's 45 mins from Toronto and 80 mins from Buffalo?

 

Honestly, Quebec City deserves a team WAY more than Hamilton.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Sometimes we have to make sacrifices, you don't need a luxury "suite" just to be able to play, a regular locker room does just fine last I checked

 

LMAO.. I don't know what you're thinking of but hockey is a business just like other sports. It is no different in this case. If you watch NFL football it is the same thing. Just about every NFL team has a new stadium with luxury suites. They are a necessity if a professional sports team expects to compete and be financially viable just like Major League Baseball. That's just the way things are being done in professional sports these days and anyone who watches sports on a regular basis will tell you this. The same thing happened with the Yankees.

[Tokkemon]

Here's a radical one that I don't hear very often: An NHL team in Portland or Seattle.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Here's a radical one that I don't hear very often: An NHL team in Portland or Seattle.

 

Yeah, I don't hear about those two suggestions too often either. The thing is it's a question of where the NHL wants to expand to try to get the biggest bang for the buck. In reality, the NHL is striving to become one of the big three professional sports, so where they expand to has something to do with that. They already know that hockey is like a religion in Canada, so they want to expand to the U.S. to some degree get more exposure in Europe, even though the NHL already has a respectable following there.

 

Can someone besides me reply to SoSpectacular's response about luxury suites? It seems as if this guy doesn't watch sports too often, or if he does, he doesn't understand how things work from the business perspective.

[Tokkemon]

Sometimes we have to make sacrifices, you don't need a luxury "suite" just to be able to play, a regular locker room does just fine last I checked

 

The suites are for the patrons, not the players. Doof.

[SoSpectacular]

Good to know.

 

They're all the same.

[SubwayGuy]

Yes, you're totally right. They do spend money, although not wisely, but you can't tell me that it has nothing to do with them being an original six team. You have guys that sign with teams like the Canadiens for less money because they know what a great hockey city Montréal is the history of the team. New York is a big market city where a player can make a name for themselves, so yes, being an original 6 team does have its selling points for a guy trying to make a name for himself. In the long run the exposure could land him a fat contract if he plays well and produces. Less chances of that if you're playing in a small market city even if you're really good because they may not have the cash to sign you to a big deal.

 

Original 6 teams have that money because those were the largest markets that were able to support the NHL when it was a fringe sport in this country still. New York = huge, Boston = huge, Montreal = very large city, Toronto = very large city, same for Detroit and Chicago. West coast doesn't have any original six teams because it was later to develop...same goes with every sport (MLB, NBA, NFL)...expansion was always westward. Yes the original six teams have their selling points but the biggest is deep pockets due to an entrenched loyal fanbase that has been built up over ~100 years.

 

Well yeah, the Chinese knockoffs I don't support, but you can't tell me that the new arena won't be an economic boost for Nassau County. The arena could hold other events that could draw folks out to Long Island to spend money in other places and explore Long Island.

 

Q: What crops up around stadiums?

A: fast food, mini malls, and merchandising stores.

 

Q: Where are the items made that are sold in the mini malls and merchandising stores?

A: F***ing China

 

I disagree with you on Wang. The guy has poured a lot of money into the Islanders and has received very little in return and everyone in the NHL knows this and has talked about it at length. The Islanders weren't just a mess because Wang arrived. They've been a mess since I could remember and they do have some promising players in Okposo and Tavares. They played some of the top teams rather hard last season, but were hit with the injury bug. In this age of the new arena, Wang has sacrificed a lot to keep the Islanders on Long Island, with a sh*tty arena, which means that he is at a disadvantage to sign top tier players because of the lack of luxury suites and so forth that a new arena would provide, not to mention a new source of revenue that is a must in order for a team like the Islanders to compete. If you look at all of the hockey clubs in the NHL, you can count the teams on one hand who don't have a new arena that was build recently and that would be the Rangers, Red Wings, Oilers and the Islanders. The Rangers and Red Wings are both original six clubs that can still compete without the new arena for now because they've got the cash. The Oilers despite their history and success are still a small market club just like the Islanders and both are rebuilding, although the Oilers went to the finals a few years back. Both the Oilers and Islanders need new arenas if they have any chance of remaining in their respective cities. Calgary could also use a new arena as well.

 

In 2001-04 I would agree with you about Wang. But he can't pay a substantial cost of this? You've got to be f***ing kidding me because he can afford it and the county cannot. When he bought the team he committed money (and turned hockey operations completely over to Mike Milbury which is just about as dumb as turning basketball operations completely over to Isiah Thomas, but that's another story) and paid players for a few years. After the lockout, when Kate Murray spat on the lighthouse project, he pulled out his commitment, cut salary bigtime, and started going cheap. The Islanders drafted some good young kids but that has NOTHING to do with Wang and everything to do with Garth Snow who's done as good as he can with a penny pinching prick as an owner.

 

Wang is a joke. It's pathetic he's getting his way on this. The city should make him pony up some of his own money to get this built. Yeah, the Islanders need a new stadium (I don't agree with you about a lot of the other teams you listed "needing" new stadiums), but the taxpayers should not be paying almost all of it when you know the Islanders will just raise prices and hurt the taxpayers who financed it when they actually decide they want to see a game.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Original 6 teams have that money because those were the largest markets that were able to support the NHL when it was a fringe sport in this country still. New York = huge, Boston = huge, Montreal = very large city, Toronto = very large city, same for Detroit and Chicago. West coast doesn't have any original six teams because it was later to develop...same goes with every sport (MLB, NBA, NFL)...expansion was always westward. Yes the original six teams have their selling points but the biggest is deep pockets due to an entrenched loyal fanbase that has been built up over ~100 years.

 

 

 

Q: What crops up around stadiums?

A: fast food, mini malls, and merchandising stores.

 

Q: Where are the items made that are sold in the mini malls and merchandising stores?

A: F***ing China

 

 

 

In 2001-04 I would agree with you about Wang. But he can't pay a substantial cost of this? You've got to be f***ing kidding me because he can afford it and the county cannot. When he bought the team he committed money (and turned hockey operations completely over to Mike Milbury which is just about as dumb as turning basketball operations completely over to Isiah Thomas, but that's another story) and paid players for a few years. After the lockout, when Kate Murray spat on the lighthouse project, he pulled out his commitment, cut salary bigtime, and started going cheap. The Islanders drafted some good young kids but that has NOTHING to do with Wang and everything to do with Garth Snow who's done as good as he can with a penny pinching prick as an owner.

 

Wang is a joke. It's pathetic he's getting his way on this. The city should make him pony up some of his own money to get this built. Yeah, the Islanders need a new stadium (I don't agree with you about a lot of the other teams you listed "needing" new stadiums), but the taxpayers should not be paying almost all of it when you know the Islanders will just raise prices and hurt the taxpayers who financed it when they actually decide they want to see a game.

 

Well you do have a point about the taxpayers paying in full for this and the ticket prices going up. However, to in all fairness, he suffered significant losses for sometime, so like any businessman, he's trying to make up for those loses. You can't fault him for that. I'm sure you'd do the same thing. Remember, the rich stay rich because they're frugal as hell. On the other hand, who knows what would've happened if he hadn't stepped in and bought the club. He's kept them on lifesupport albeit the cheap route and the financial implications of having no team at all on Long Island certainly would've been felt hard.

 

 

You also have a point about the mini malls and such, but that is inevitable. Me personally, if I do go to a sporting event, I don't buy the sh*t at the stadium usually, this way I avoid the whole Made in China crappola. You do know however, that I am finding more and more Made in USA items now, but that is probably due to where I shop at and the fact that I seek out Made in USA goods, so naturally I would find more of them. But yeah, I do notice that when you go to certain places, Made in China is more prevalent like at the big box stores, so what I'll do is just buy select items that I know for certain are made here and avoid the others.

[lilbluefoxie]

theres already Roosevelt Field and The Source mall in teh immediate vicinity, is there enough stores to even have a third mall in that area?

[KeystoneRegional]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[SubwayGuy]

However, to in all fairness, he suffered significant losses for sometime, so like any businessman, he's trying to make up for those loses. You can't fault him for that.

 

Yes I can. Profiteering while putting out a shitty product is a sleazy, corrupt, and unacceptable business practice.

 

A real businessman invests in the product to make sure it's good, markets it, and sells it.

 

He doesn't peddle shit, ask the taxpayers for a handout, and then turn around and raise prices at the new place (which is what he's going to do).

 

The rich get richer and everyone else gets f***ed. Oh well, people just don't seem to give enough of a shit to do anything about it. Hey look, there's a talking cat stuck in a coat sleeve on Youtube.

[SoSpectacular]

I hope these people wise up sooner or later.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Yes I can. Profiteering while putting out a shitty product is a sleazy, corrupt, and unacceptable business practice.

 

A real businessman invests in the product to make sure it's good, markets it, and sells it.

 

He doesn't peddle shit, ask the taxpayers for a handout, and then turn around and raise prices at the new place (which is what he's going to do).

 

The rich get richer and everyone else gets f***ed. Oh well, people just don't seem to give enough of a shit to do anything about it. Hey look, there's a talking cat stuck in a coat sleeve on Youtube.

 

Yeah, but you're overlooking his losses and you and I know that if you were in his shoes, you would not continue to see your money go down the drain while you have no new arena and as a result continue to take losses because you can't draw big names to the team like other teams can who have new arenas.

 

I'm willing to say that Long Island would suffer far more without the Islanders there than they would under the current situation. If they get the new arena, I think things will turn around for them. Actually they played hard last year and did have a good team, but they've been hit hard by injuries the last few years, so I disagree about you saying that he's purposely putting a sh*tty product on the ice.

[East New York]

what I'm trying to say is, the area is already practically a ghetto, it cant get any worse down there, and if it does, get the cops to patrol the area for real crimes, not speed trapping which is what they appear to be doing most of the time.

 

Why can't Wang just move the Islanders to Brooklyn? At least he could 'co-own' the arena to host his team. Cheaper than to build a brand new arena for just one pro-sports team.

 

I may not always agree with the two of you on some political issues, but I must say that you two frequently bring up some excellent points that make perfect sense!

 

That's because Mangano knows who is voting for him. Long Islanders overall care far more about the Islanders than they do about local bus service. This is great news as the Islanders have been in desperate need of a new arena, and the funds generated from the new arena will probably off set most of the costs passed on to taxpayers. In sum, you can call this an investment of sorts, where as the LI Bus isn't viewed as such by most folks in Nassau.

 

In all actuality, transit projects should be seen as investments at times as well. More so in urban areas though. NYCT is a main reason why NYC's economy is slightly better than other places. Take Detroit for example, which has worse public transit than some third world countries. If you don't have reliable transportation, you don't have reliable employees. That's one of the main reasons Detroit's economy is in the tank. People can't rely on their buses for much at all outside of main corridors.

 

The costs of the arena will be offset only when the place actually turns a profit. That's won't be for at least a decade.