As Nassau Casino Awaits Next Step, Sands Starts Mapping Out Eateries

UNIONDALE, NY — While the planned hotel and casino moves forward where the Nassau Coliseum stands, Las Vegas Sands is beginning the process of finding the best chefs and restaurants to join the project.

The company, which has a lease agreement with the county, signed memorandums of understanding with several leading restaurant groups.

"The dining experiences we create will be a magnet for a global audience to view Long Island and its dining scene as must-experience destination," Robert G. Goldstein, chairman and chief executive officer at Sands.

Plans are for Rao's to headline the dining with its signature Italian dishes at the hotel. Long Island notable Poll Restaurants is also joining Sands. They operate several eateries including Majors Steakhouse, Cipollini Trattoria & Bar and Toku Modern Asian.

Poll would develop a dining concept for guests.

Sands is building a partnership with celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who has more than 60 restaurants worldwide.

They will also leverage a lineup of other famous chefs, such as Lorena Garcia and Tetsuya Wakuda to explore new creations for Sands New York.

The hotel will bring D.ream International, which owns and operates a suite of global restaurant brands including Zuma, Coya and Maximal Concepts for an array of gastronomic experiences. One of those is the successful Mott 32, a restaurant focusing on authentic Chinese cuisine.

The next step for the casino is having the county legislature vote. The "Say No to the Casino" is calling it to be on the May 22 agenda.