Nassau County Legislature set to vote on casino project. Why one legislator is voting against it

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Plans for a controversial casino in Nassau County are expected to get another green light Monday. The Nassau County Legislature will be voting on whether to approve a 42-year lease for the Nassau Coliseum land to go to Las Vegas Sands.

Las Vegas Sands still needs to secure a casino license from the state, but if it does, the casino property is expected to be the size of seven football fields and bring in more than 20,000 visitors a day.

Monday’s vote, which is scheduled for 1 p.m., is the first step in the $6 billion casino project. 

Nassau County legislator opposes casino plan

Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton believes she will be the only legislator to vote against it.

“I really am concerned about the idea of casinos,” she said. “But this is really, in my opinion, promoting gambling with Nassau County invested, having such huge investment in our county. It is surrounded by a number of schools … Sloan Kettering is there.”

She, along with a coalition of residents, are also concerned about traffic to an already congested area, environmental impacts and the extra cost of police overtime.

“This property is so valuable. It’s in the center of Nassau County, and it could really be such an opportunity for us to do something that would really help our young people, like bring in some companies, whether it’s green energy or IT,” DeRiggi-Whitton said.

Hofstra University has long opposed the plan and has challenged it in court.  

Proponents of casino plan tout economic, entertainment benefits

Labor unions have urged lawmakers to approve the plan, saying it would benefit the county economically.

At a rally in July, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum security manager Valerie Fitts said, “I’m tired of waking up every morning wondering if we’re going to go over to the Coliseum and there’s going to be a chain on the door … We need our livelihoods.”

At the same rally, Matthew Aracich, building trades president for Nassau and Suffolk County, said, “Six billion dollars worth of economic activity over the course of the next 18 to 20 months when there’s a shovel in the ground. You’re having a piece of property which has been stale for years … It may even reduce some taxes.”

Last month, the legislature approved an environmental review.

Advocates say it’ll bring entertainment to the area, not just a casino.