County's Planning Commission Recommends Sands Hotel/Casino Project

MINEOLA, NY — The casino project for Nassau County took another step forward on Thursday. The County's Planning Commission voted to recommend the Las Vegas Sands building a hotel/casino at the Nassau Hub.

"We are disconcerted, but not surprised that the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a new 42-year site control and operating lease for LVS, given the toxic and pervasive climate of ‘pay to play’ that persists throughout our County government," Allison O'Brien Silva, with advocacy group "Say No to the Casino," said.

The Legislature's Rules Committee is expected to vote next week, ahead of a full vote by County lawmakers on Aug. 5.

"We urge the County Legislature to listen to the people they serve, and vote down the lease."

O'Brien Silva has led the opposition charge since last year, citing concerns for the community, including crime and the lowering of property values.

This latest attempt by Nassau to bring a casino to the former Coliseum location actually doesn't call for a casino. The 42-year lease would be for the Sands to "operate, occupy and control the Nassau Coliseum site," George Krug, another member of "Say No to the Casino," told Patch last month.

The initial lease was 99 years with the controversial casino attached to the project. Changes were made after an appeals court blocked the county from going forward after a lawsuit came from neighboring Hofstra University.

"The lease gives LVS the right to make the Coliseum 'go dark' after only two years. LVS has no reason to take the lease other than to knock it down and build a massive casino complex," O'Brien Silva said.