Fed-up Nassau County residents flooded Tuesday’s Hempstead Town Board meeting and turned it into a five-hour protest over a rezoning proposal that could unlock Long Island’s first gambling resort — despite no longer having a casino developer behind it.
More than 200 people packed Town Hall across two hearing sessions, and a majority of the nearly 100 speakers — including Garden City’s mayor, Hofstra representatives, and everyday residents lined up to trash the proposal.
“I stand before you on behalf of the vast majority of residents who are viscerally against casino development at the coliseum grounds,” said Garden City Mayor Edward Finneran.
“We are against changing the character of our community.”
Last month, Las Vegas Sands, the developer that once promised a $7 billion resort, abruptly pulled out of the plan, but rather than scrap the rezoning, the town is pressing forward, with Sands still on the lease.
Frustrated speakers called the process rushed and opaque — accusing the town of trying to quietly lay the groundwork for a massive casino development without telling residents who’s behind it, what the real plans are, or why the rezoning is being prioritized at all.
“Who’s the applicant?” one resident asked bluntly.
“The residents and this board should have an understanding of who is placing themselves financially on the record.”
But according to Sands, they still don’t have anybody to take over the lease.
“These discussions are still ongoing and the company is hopeful that a deal can still be reached,” Daniel Baker, an attorney representing Sands, at Tuesday’s zoning board hearing.
However, Baker acknowledged the tight timeline to find their replacement before the June 27 deadline means it is unlikely that a new developer will be selected, or that the rezoning will be finalized in time.
“The company also recognizes that there is little time left before applications are due to the state on June 27 and it may not be possible,” Baker said.
That uncertainty only added fuel to the fire Tuesday, as resident after resident urged the board to hit pause on the entire process — or kill the proposal altogether — until a clear plan and developer are in place.
Critics pointed to the site’s proximity to local schools, potential increases in crime, traffic, and gambling addiction.
Several speakers took aim at Supervisor Don Clavin, accusing him of hypocrisy for supporting a plan they said would destroy suburban quality of life while publicly touting efforts to “protect” it.
Even some who opposed the casino said they weren’t against building something at the site — just not a gambling complex.
Alternative suggestions included middle-income housing, a cultural center, public green space, or even a permanent home for the New York Jets.
Meanwhile, supporters of the rezoning — including union leaders and business groups — said the redevelopment could create jobs, generate tax revenue, revitalize a long-underused area and attract another company to take over the lease if the property is already zoned for the project.
For now, the town isn’t saying when, or if, it plans to vote on the rezoning as Tuesday’s hearing was left open for written comment through June 10, with another public session scheduled for that morning.
But with the license deadline just weeks away, residents say time is running out — and transparency is still nowhere to be found.
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