Proposed Redevelopment of Nassau Coliseum

PROJECT SCRIPT

2008-04-17T06:23:00.001-07:00

Alex Dollin/ Reporting>

Lauren Brookmeyer/ Nassau County Resident>

<BITE TRT: Sarah Lansdale/ Executive

Director of Sustainable L.I.

Close up of Rexcorp Logo and Project Lighthouse Office.

Cut away with Aerial shot of project land.

Project Shots or STANDUP??

Project Lighthouse Stock Shots

Show Sustainable LI Exterior Sign/ Early cut-in of interview while I VO

<BITE TRT: 05- Sarah Lansdale/ Executive Director Sustainable Long Island.

THIS LAND THAT I AM STANDING ON RIGHT NOW IS A HOT ISSUE IN NASSAU COUNTY. AN IDEA PROPOSED BY CHARLES WANG, OWNER OF THE ISLANDERS TO RENOVATE THE NASSAU COLISEUM AND BUILD A LARGE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA TO SOME PEOPLE BUT HAS OTHERS VERY WORRIED.

Lauren Brookmeyer/ Nassau Resident: “I think that the jobs they are going to put in place is great for a lot of people, However as a Nassau County resident, I am not looking forward to all the extra traffic.”

Larry Kemp/ Nassau Resident: “Going to work is going to be a problem, the roads are going to be a problem”

Sarah Lansdale/ Executive Director of Sustainable LI: “ There is still some more information that needs to come out and more studies regarding the lighthouse, for instance the um traffic and how to accommodate all those extra cars.”

HOWEVER, REXCORP, THE MAJOR DEVELOPING COMPANY ON PROJECT LIGHTHOUSE SAYS THEY’VE ALREADY BEEN DOING THEIR HOMEWORK ON THE TRAFFIC ISSUE.

REXCORP SAYS THE HOLDUP ON PROJECT LIGHTHOUSE IS SO THEY CAN CAREFULLY TRY AND SOLVE ISSUES LIKE TRAFFIC, HOWEVER THE PROJECT HAS JUST RECENTLY HAD SOME MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND MAY BE GETTING CLOSER TO BECOMING A REALITY.

Richard Guardino/ Development Expert: Yesterday, the town board passed a resolution where they designated the town of Hempstead as the lead agency for the environmental study program- they also did a so called positive declaration meaning this project is definitely going to have an environmental impact (2:22)

IN FACT IF THE PLANS DO WORKOUT, GROUND BREAKING COULD TAKE PLACE AS SOON AS.

SARAH LANSDALE FROM SUSTAINABLE LONG ISLAND CAN ALSO SEE THE BENEFIT THE DEVELOPMENT CAN OFFER ESPECIALLY TO THE YOUTH OF LI.

Sarah Lansdale/ Executive Director of Sustainable Long Island: “The light house is such an interesting project because it has the potential to really create a new community and a new downtown for L.I. it, I think, has the potential to retain kinda LI’s youth, ah recent college graduates, things like that as well as be a huge economic engine for Long Island.”

RECORP SAYS THIS POSITIVE DECLARATION WILL BENEFIT NASSAU BECAUSE IT WILL FORCE THEM TO RE EXAMINE ALL THE ISSUES OF THE PROJECT AND HAVE TO WORK HARD IN CONVINCING THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD THEY CAN RESLOVE EVERY ISSUE FACING THE PROJECT, REPORTING FOR NASSAU NEWS, I’M ALEX DOLLIN

"The Proposed Redevlopment of The Nassau Coliseum: Project Lighthouse."

2008-04-17T06:10:00.001-07:00

In Nassau County there is 77 acres of undeveloped property around the Nassau Coliseum. Charles Wang, owner of the Islanders, came up with the perfect plan to renovate the coliseum and build a large development project called “Project Lighthouse,” this way the coliseum renovation would be funded by the profits of this project which would include: many new housing projects, an 80 story tower, a new practice and training facility for the Islanders, a five star hotel and restaurant, a large outdoor concert venue and a newly expanded coliseum.
Many people see the benefits this large scale project would offer.
Sarah Lansdale from Sustainable Long Island, a group committed to positive growth on Long Island, feels that new housing in an area like this will make the Island seem more attractive and therefore help retain local youth. She says, “ The light house is such an interesting project because it has the potential to really create a new community and a new downtown for L.I. it, has the potential to retain Long Island’s youth, recent college graduates, things like that as well as be a huge economic engine for Long Island.”
Rexcorp, well known for large development on Long Island, was chosen as the major project developer. William Schaefer works for The Lighthouse Development Group and also feels the project also has the potential to make Long Island more attractive. He says the group works constantly on all issues surrounding the project especially the one that seems to upset Long Islanders the most: the extra traffic on Hempstead Turnpike. Schaefer says: “Just yesterday that kicked off formally the legal process of it, but we have been studying these impacts for over a year starting with traffic, traffic is probably the number one issue we have to deal with. During the play-offs last year when the Islanders, made it in there we didn’t know they were gonna make it to the playoffs until the last game and we decided the next day to commence an unprecedented traffic study which is still going on today.” The formal legal process he is referring to is what is called a Positive Declaration and it was just granted by the town of Hempstead, Tuesday, April 8^th, 2008. This declaration as explained by development expert Richard Guardino, “means this project is definitely going to have an environmental impact,” and every aspect of the project will need to be perfectly planned out before Rexcorp wins the right to break ground on this project."
This project was first proposed back in 2004 but continues to get closer to becoming a reality, especially with the declaration, Rexcorp anticipates ground breaking happening sometime in the summer of 2009. Schaefer says Rexcorp wants to really work carefully because one step to fast and in the wrong direction could lead to a law suit and result in a cancellation of the entire project.

Final Project Memo

2008-04-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

JRNL 80B Final Project Memo

Working on this project has been a very unique experience. For the video, it is always challenging to squeeze many interviews down to one short, edited piece. I think I did I good job, however, capturing the most informative sounds bites and piecing them together to tell a good story. This is a project that I am proud to have in my portfolio. It shows great use of multi-media and demonstrates great practice in tagging and linking to more information, a practice that will continue to be useful as we get further into the internet age.

I ran into some difficulties in the reporting aspect of this project. Most people I spoke with, at least with the officials, were almost all in favor of Project Lighthouse. I knew with any large development project, while they create many news jobs, cost lots of money and create traffic issues. It was when I got out into the community and started asking people about how they felt that I really got some opposition to the project. I worked hard to have many people to interview so that I would be representing all views on the project. Other than that, I got some great interviews with more than enough b-roll (extra footage). My favorite interview was at Rexcorp in the office of the lighthouse development group, the people working day and night on making this project become a reality, because I was able to see their life sized model of the project space, right outside their window. They also showed me a "desk model" of the project and explained where every new building would be located as well as their plan for parking for it.

Technically, I ran into some difficulty with the editing software, windows movie maker. Perhaps I waited a bit to long to edit my final piece together,trying to do it fast. Since I had already completed my interviews and even arranged them on paper in script form days before, I figured I was ahead. Boy, was I wrong! I had to use another computer and re-upload and edit all my video. Other technical things that could be cleaned up for next time would be the sound on the FLIP cams. I think there is a way to adjust the microphone sensitivity. There were several interviews I had where the interviewee was right next to the mic and it should have been lowered. The result was over amplification and a slightly annoying sound during the video.

In general, I am happy with the result. Coming from a broadcast background, I am not used to being able to express myself in such a free format and with the ability to connect everything together so well. I am happy that my interviews, some of which were quite elaborate, get to be viewed in their entirety as part of the project. I really think the subjects had some very valid opinions for and against the project.

For the future of this project, I would recommend more training and trouble shooting with movie maker and perhaps the school will spring for a more advanced editing software like Adobe Premier elements which is essentially an "easier-to-use, AVID." And of course when dealing with technology I urge future classes to follow professor Krochmal's advice: Any project dealing with computers and technology will take you twice as long as you think it is going to- so plan for that.

TRANSCRIBED INTERVIEW WITH DR. RICHARD GUARDINO

2008-04-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR RICHARD GUARDINO, LI DEVELOPMENT EXPERT AND HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR.

Q: To your understanding, what will be the Lighthouses’ benefit to LI?

A: I think it has tremendous economic benefit, I think that one of the problems we have on the Island right now is that there is not sufficient amount of corporate office space here (:13) if you look at the population of LI which is actually double that of Westchester, we have the exact same amount of office space here on the island and what we need to attract because the cost of living is very high here are high paying jobs (:29) and so I think if we can develop this new suburban center, we can attract some top notch corporate head quarters here and I think that will have a number of benefits, first of all it will help (:44) us in terms of the tax base and provide high paying jobs. I think having this kind of center also gives us an opportunity to provide housing both for young people and for people that are more mature (:58) right now most of out housing stock here on LIU is sing family homes and I think we need more mixed use developments that will bring in a range of different types of housing and this project provides that- everything from High end condos down to townhouses are incorporated in the project (1:19) So I think that’s a benefit as well. Hopefully there’ll be a next generation or affordable housing component as well to provide desperately needed affordable housing here on the island. So I think it will be an economic generator in terms of jobs (1:36) - I think it can provide some housing, I think it can be an attractive place for people to go umm certainly having this 2 billion dollar complex is going to generate more property and sales taxes is well.

Q: Have you heard about people opposed to the project? What are some of their major arguments?

A: The critical issue in terms of the environmental impact is going to be the traffic and they are starting the traffic studies now. Yesterday, the town board passed a resolution where they designated the town of Hempstead as the lead agency for the environmental study program- they also did a so called positive declaration meaning this project is definitely going to have an environmental impact (2:22) So the process is starting, and critical, I mean the first thing people in the neighborhood are asking about- what is going to happen with the traffic. People aren’t happen with some of the traffic on Hempstead turnpike right now. It something that people at the university certainly are concerned about and in the surrounding area and so how are you going to bring in this 5 and a half million square feet of additional space and still have a traffic system that works- so that’s really the challenge.

Interview with William Schaefer

2008-04-15T19:17:00.001-07:00

William Schaefer- Lighthouse Development Group at Rexcorp

Q: Who came up with the initial idea for Project Lighthouse and when was it first proposed?

A: Initial idea came from Charles Wang, who is as you know the owner of the Islanders. Initially, the thought for Charles, you know he bought the team, which was probably going to leave Long Island and saved the team and kept it on Long Island and quickly realized that the economics of doing business in the coliseum weren’t so great, the team was losing money and continues to lose money today and he is doing everything he can to keep it here on Long Island. He feels very strongly that’s the right thing to do, it’s part of LI’s identity. So he went to the county and said, I’m a tenant in the building I don’t own the coliseum, you own the coliseum I can’t conduct business here the way I should, it should be a first class facility, please let’s fix the coliseum.

The county came back and said we really don’t have the money, the county has a long history of just making the budget every year, there is rarely a surplus. And the county said maybe there’s another way we can do this to fund the necessary improvements to the coliseum for the Islanders to conduct business and stay here on the Island. So the idea was hatched to do a development deal where the county would create a means of doing development on the 77 acres of asphalt that surround the coliseum, which don’t add to the tax base, don’t create any jobs, doesn’t solve any housing problems it’s just complete asphalt. Maybe we could put this to work for the benefit of the county and the residents- we’ll look at doing a development deal where some of the profits that are made on the development deal will fund the construction of the coliseum where Charles would be responsible for doing the work for the county. So that is sorta the trade-off. So in 2004 the Lighthouse project was launched. We did our first press release, the current plan that’s out there right now is the third master plan, the first plan was out there with a very large 80 story tower. Certainly got lots and lots of press out of that and a lot of enthusiasm. A couple years later the county decides that you have to RFP this job (2:45) so that was really the big delay so far, we had to go through an RFP process where it went out to other bidders and it came head to head with us and the mets and the mets wanted to develop the property and we had to go against them and win this RFP (2:49) of course we had the unfair advantage of having the islanders and at that time we decided to buy the Long Island Marriott (2:54) At that time also we became partners with Rexcorp, Rexcorp owns a lot of the property surrounding the coliseum (3:05) and has very vested interest in the success of this. We successfully won the RFP and we are the developer of choice for the county (3:15) and now we’ve joined ventures with Rexcorp and came up with our third master plan which is the master plan that is out there right now and we had just in 2007 in November submitted our application to the town of Hempstead who has the zoning authority (3:34) Its county property but the town of Hempstead has the zoning authority which could create some difficulty for us we don’t know yet until we get there (3:44) we submitted our application in November 2007 and just yesterday we got what is called a positive declaration of significant impact (3:54) meaning that the town has assumed the zoning authority and that we will have to go through what is called a state and volume mental quality review act, where we do an environmental impact statement (4:06) where we study every conceivable impact this project could have not just nassay county but the entire Long Island we’re talking about water, sewer, air quality, noise quality, impact of schools, impact to the tax base jobs created, every conceivable impact we have to study. (4:23) so, just yesterday that kicked off formally the legal process of it but we have been studying these impacts for over a year starting with traffic, traffic is probably the number one issue we have to deal with (4:36) So during the play-offs last year when the Islanders, made it in there we didn’t know they were gonna make it to the playoffs until the last game and we decided the next day to commence an unprecedented traffic study which is still going on today (4:53) So that’s the status. We hope that the town will work with us on expediting the secret process, they’re in control. (5:05) We work very hard to get all our documentation to them, we can control all of our consultants, all the studies, we have reached out to the people in the surrounding area over the last five years (5:20) we’ve been doing community outreach and in fact the third plan has a lot of input into it from the community, ah which we’ve had the benefit of quite a few years of not only public outreach but a lot of study to get to where we are right now (535) so we’re very comfortable going forward that we’re gonna hit every ---there’s not gonna be any issues with us expediting everything we need to do to go through the secret process. Rexcorp are professionals at doing that, they know the process cold and we certainly have the desire on both the ownership, Charles and Scott to do these studies as fast as possible. (6:00) so that we can get to this development.

Q: From where you stand right now, how long do you anticipate till actually breaking ground on this project?

A: Charles and the team were are committed to breaking ground on the coliseum, july 2009. (6:20) We hope to be through the secret process somewhere in early summer 2009 and we can actually start doing some of the work in the coliseum without any other approvals except for a work permit that would be the inner bowl, we would like to do that, but we would have to have some approvals before we take that risk and do something like that. (6:41)

Q: How would this benefit Long Islanders in general?

A: Well, Nassau county in particular has what has been identified as a flat line economy (6:58) and it’s not a place of growth as it was fifty years ago with the development that happened in Levittown and all around here- when you look out the window here at Rexcorp plaza, you can see all this development happened a long time ago and this was a wonderful place for young people to come because it was growing, (7:15) places that are growing create lots and lots of jobs, create lots and lots of opportunities, they’re exciting places to be. (7:24) This is the first suburb in the US and it’s the most mature, and it’s not so attractive for kids to come here like, I’ve grown up on LI and all my friends are gone, they a long time ago decided to live other places, like Rolley and Atlanta and Chattanooga, these places that are just growing, we’re not growing here and it’s scary, and its also because there’s no growth the tax burden has been put on all the homeowners and it makes it very very expensive to live here (8:01) it’s sort of a double edge sword its an old place and its an expensive place, and it’s not so attractive for young people and it’s a little scary to see the brain drain that’s going on so obviously when you do growth in an area as you know NYC never stops growing and its an exciting place once you start growing and creating opportunities and exciting places its going to help the economy through number 1, lessening the tax burden, creating lots and lots of jobs, creating new types of housing, not just single family homes (8:37) where kids would have to rent an apartment in the basement of a house but creating different housing products for young professionals to come here and start their lives on LI and hopefully stay there. (8:52) This will also obviously also keep the Long Islanders on Li and hopefully create a destination on Li that people will come and enjoy for many years. We hope that will be a real symbol of LI’s new growth. That’s to be determined and its really up to the town of Hempstead going through the secret process to make this happen.

TRANSCRIBED INTERVIEW WITH SARAH LANSDALE

2008-04-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

Sarah Lansdale- Executive Director of Sustainable L.I.

Q: Do you see the LightHouse on L.I. as a positive development?

A: Definitely, the light house is such an interesting project because it has the potential to really create a new community and a new downtown for L.I. it, I think, has the potential to retain kinda LI’s youth, ah recent college graduates, things like that as well as be a huge economic engine for Long Island.

Q: Any major problems with Project Lighthouse?

A: I think there is still some more information that needs to come out and more studies regarding the lighthouse, for instance the um traffic and how to accommodate all those extra cars, that area is already congested, especially congested with the coliseum when there is concerts and sports or hockey games or things like that so there really needs to me more analysis done on traffic and how they are going to mitigate all of the traffic, the additional cars.

Q: What about reactions positive or negative from Long Islanders?

A: I’ve heard a lot of positive reactions to the project, I’ve also heard some negative ones especially for surrounding communities like Garden City residents are a little concerned about how this is going to impact their quality of life, but overall I’ve heard a really positive response from this project.

COPY FOR TAG CLOUD

2008-03-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

The developers of a $1.6 billion proposal to rebuild the Nassau Coliseum and turn the sea of parking that surrounds it into a ''town square'' -- a bustling destination spot that currently doesn't exist on Long Island -- signed an agreement on June 29 with Thomas R. Suozzi, the Nassau County executive.

But the project may face its biggest hurdle yet as it goes before the Town of Hempstead for zoning approval, a process that will most likely take several years to complete.

The plan, proposed by Charles B. Wang, owner of the Islanders, and Reckson Associates, a local real estate development firm, would renovate the aging sports and concert arena and include thousands of new apartments and a canal lined with retail shops and office space.

The agreement with the county allows the developers to seek zoning approval for their plan and requires the developers to make $1.5 million in annual payments and pay for the county's legal and consultant costs for the coliseum's redevelopment. Once plans have been approved, the county will sign a lease for the property with the developers.

The 77-acre parcel is one of the largest undeveloped pieces of public property left in Nassau and is zoned for single-family housing. The Town of Hempstead has not received a formal application from the developers, but the developers' agreement with the county is a first step in the process, said Mike Deery, a town spokesman.

Once a formal application is filed, the town will most likely develop a master plan for the site that would create a new development zone for it, as happened with the site of the former Roosevelt Raceway.

But if the Roosevelt Raceway development is an indication, it may be awhile before the coliseum proposal becomes reality. The approval process for the raceway took about two years, and even though the town signed off on a master plan that allowed a mix of commercial and residential construction for the site in the early 1990's, construction is still not complete.

Town and county officials familiar with the coliseum proposal said that town officials would like to see the property developed but have concerns about the project's density. Indeed, many homeowners and business owners near the coliseum have raised questions about the project's potential effect on schools, traffic and groundwater.

Suffolk Moves to Condemn A Deteriorating Property

The Plaza Theater on Main Street in East Patchogue showed its last feature film in the mid-1980's and over the last two decades has become an eyesore that neighbors and local officials say has hindered efforts to revitalize the struggling downtown.

So Suffolk County officials announced plans last Monday to use the county's power of eminent domain to condemn the property and eventually turn it over to developers who ideally would convert the space into retail shops on the ground floor and apartments or offices on the upper floors.

Jack Eddington, the county legislator who sponsored the condemnation bill, said, ''This theater has been a symbol of decay in the town, and it's the right place to show deadbeat landlords that we're not going to accept this anymore.''

Mr. Eddington said he generally frowned on the use of eminent domain, ''but this is a clear case where it would work for the betterment of the community.'' He said that over the years, local business owners had tried unsuccessfully to buy the property and that local officials had tried to get the owner, Edmondo Schwartz, to repair the building, but he has not cooperated. Mr. Schwartz has a real estate business based in Manhattan and did not respond to phone calls.

Evan Abazis, owner of the Mediterranean Manor, a catering hall down the street from the Plaza, said the theater had become a blight on the community. ''It has made it very difficult to maintain business here,'' Mr. Abazis said, adding that he hoped the downtown would be revitalized. ''The charm and history of this area is here, it just needs to be restored.''

Cellphone Recycling Law Is Under Review in Suffolk

Suffolk County, long known for being ahead of the environmental curve, is now reviewing a law that would require the recycling of cellphones.

Vivian Viloria-Fisher, a county legislator from Setauket, proposed the law last month after learning that minerals used in cellphones, like nickel-cadmium and lithium, can harm the environment. ''There's so much material in cellphones that we don't want to reintroduce into the environment, and we should reuse as much as possible,'' she said.

Suffolk would be one of the first counties in the state to require cellphone recycling. The County Legislature is expected to vote on the bill next month after holding a public hearing. Westchester passed a similar law this spring. Ms. Viloria-Fisher said she hoped to have collection sites in county offices across Suffolk.

New York Islanders owner Charles Wang teamed up with Reckson Associates Realty Corp. yesterday to redevelop the area around the Nassau Coliseum, adding muscle to a project that remains stalled before the county legislature.

Wang, co-founder of Islandia-based Computer Associates International, and Reckson chief executive Scott Rechler said they will split the at least $1 billion cost "50-50" to jointly develop residential, commercial and retail facilities.

The announcement of Wang's partnership with Reckson, the Melville-based real estate investment trust with holdings throughout the New York area, comes days before Monday's county deadline for competing development proposals. Nassau's Democratic County Executive Thomas Suozzi agreed last October to lease Wang the 77 acres of county land for the project. But the legislators complained that Suozzi hadn't opened the bidding process to all developers and have yet to approve the plan, which includes a sports technology center, a state-of-the-art conference facility, and the signature structure, a 60-story building called the Lighthouse.

At Reckson's Omni building in Uniondale, Wang praised Rechler as a "titan" among real estate developers, with 1 million square feet of office space in the Nassau hub.

"This is public land and the project that is developed there must provide the most benefit to the public," Rechler said. "We believe that Charles' proposal achieves this objective."

Suozzi, who is seeking re-election Nov. 8, said Rechler is "obviously a serious developer and a serious player on Long Island." Rechler has contributed $15,000 to Suozzi's campaign.
Lawmakers and a competing developer offered mixed reactions. "If the developer can't talk Wang out of a 60-story building, then it's not a viable plan," said Gregory Peterson, the Republican candidate for county executive against Suozzi.
"This doesn't help him get the approval," said Minority Leader Peter Schmitt. "It doesn'tchange the fact that the process Suozzi went through is fatally flawed."
Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs of Woodbury called the joint venture "a smart move."
Last Wednesday, Suozzi called on other developers to meet with him. But only Vincent Polimeni, chairman and chief executive of The Polimeni Organization, attended. His firm, of Garden City, intends to submit a development proposal. "I'm still in the game," he said.
Wang's project also would require zoning approval by Republican-controlled Hempstead Town, where former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato is still a political power. D'Amato and Wang had a falling out, after D'Amato criticized the project.
But Rechler, who has contributed to Republicans, called D'Amato "an adviser." D'Amato didn't return calls for comment. "I haven't spoken with him, but I hope when I do he will see the light of Charles' plan," Rechler said.
Reckson's holdings
Charles Wang, who wants to build a development around the Nassau Coliseum that includes a 600-foot tower, above right, has partnered with developer Reckson Associates. Reckson owns several properties in the area.

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Nov. 14 — An ambitious plan to transform the vast concrete tundra around the Nassau Coliseum into a downtown district with restaurants, cafes, a pedestrian mall, shops and artificial canals was presented to the local planning agency on Wednesday. The idea first emerged almost a decade ago, but had been promoted unsuccessfully by various developers and officials. The filing of rezoning applications on Wednesday marked the first time that developers had presented planning authorities with blueprints.

The plan, dubbed the Lighthouse project, is backed by two of Long Island’s most prominent businessmen, the software billionaire Charles Wang and the real estate developer Scott Rechler. They proposed a $320 million gut renovation of the aging coliseum, which opened in 1972 and is home to Mr. Wang’s hockey team, the Islanders; the construction of a 300-room, five-star hotel and 2,000 housing units; and the creation of one million square feet of office space and 500,000 square feet of space for shops, restaurants and cafes.

The construction would take place on about 150 acres owned by Nassau County, and the land would be leased to the developers at rates still to be negotiated. Planning and zoning authorities in the Town of Hempstead, where the site is located, will review the developers’ plans. The review of traffic, population density and overall environmental impact is expected to take one to two years, after which county legislators must approve a lease. Construction is likely to take 10 years.

The Nassau county executive, Thomas R. Suozzi, who has made development of the area one of the major goals of his administration, has described the project as critical to maintaining the vitality of Long Island by attracting new business, new homeowners and, not least of all, new tax revenues.

Matthew Frank, managing director of the Lighthouse Development Group, the company formed by Mr. Wang and Mr. Rechler, said the hope was that the new site would become a destination for people throughout the region.

Community groups and merchants in the area around the coliseum have expressed concern that the Lighthouse project would create congestion and crush local businesses.

“Obviously, there are going to be very extensive investigations on traffic, air, water, density and quality-of-life impact,” said Kate Murray, the town supervisor. “From the models I’ve seen, it looks extremely dense. Traffic will be a major issue.”

The county land at the site was originally part of Mitchel Air Force Base, and after the base closed, the federal government turned over the property to Nassau County in 1963.

Nassau Coliseum Redevelopment
Uniondale, NY

When the Lighthouse Development Group embarked upon an ambitious plan to redevelop a 77-acre site in Nassau County to create a contemporary recreation/office/residential destination, Eschbacher VHB was called upon to turn that vision into a reality with integrated transportation planning and traffic engineering services. The product of a unique partnership between private equity investors and the owner of the New York Islanders, the centerpiece of the redevelopment effort will be a reinvigorated Nassau Coliseum - a home for its sports teams and a venue for large performances.

As winning public approval is central to the success of the project, it was acknowledged by the developer that effective transportation planning must be in place at all levels to address any residents’ concern that the development might result in negative impact. This Eschbacher VHB designed transportation infrastructure will support a $1.5 billion project that includes residential units, hotel space, a sports center, a convention center, retail space, and public recreational space.

Challenges in this project include the plan to unify the need to develop extensive off-site roadway network linkages. Additionally, developers aim to coordinate the project with a planned light rail system which will connect to the nearby colleges, office complexes, and regional shopping malls.

Two friends of 3DWalkthroughs.com have announced that they will be working together on the Nassau Coliseum Redevelopment Project (The Lighthouse Project). RexCorp Realty (Scott Rechler) officially hired the Spector Group (Marc Spector) as one of two master planning/architect firms that will be spearheading the project.

The mixed use development project will include: an 18,000-seat arena for sporting events and concerts, housing, office space, retail stores, a hotel and a complete restoration and renovation of the Nassau Coliseum.

3DWalkthroughs.com will be closely following the progress of the Lighthouse Project as it is one of the largest and most ambitious development projects to ever happen in Long Island…not to mention two of our best friends are involved.

Below is a blurb from Sunday’s NY Times describing the partnership.

NYTIMES

In the Region
Long Island, Westchester, Connecticut and New Jersey
Go to Complete Coverage » The Nassau Coliseum redevelopment plan advanced another step when the project’s partners chose a master planning team of two architecture and planning firms, the Development Design Group of Baltimore and the Spector Group of North Hills.

The two companies will design a $2 billion suburban center on 77 acres of county-owned property. It is scheduled to include an 18,000-seat arena for sporting events and concerts as well as housing, office space, retail stores, a hotel and a complete restoration and renovation of the Nassau Coliseum. The project’s partners — Lighthouse Development Group, a joint venture between Charles B. Wang, owner of the New York Islanders and founder of Computer Associates, and Scott H. Rechler, chairman of RexCorp Realty — announced the hiring of the planning team on July 20.

The Development Design Group is known for malls and mixed-use developments throughout the country. The Spector Group’s projects include RexCorp Plaza in Uniondale, Jericho Plaza and the Islandia headquarters of Computer Associates. The company will provide local expertise for the project’s planning and design, said Marc B. Spector, one of the company’s principals.

Mr. Rechler, Long Island’s largest developer of commercial real estate, said, “We were looking for a team who would want to stick with the character of Long Island, but at the same time provide Long Island with what it doesn’t have.”

The Lighthouse Project is expected to create 16,000 construction jobs, as well as thousands of permanent jobs and many new businesses, and to generate almost $60 million of annual real estate tax revenue, Mr. Rechler said.

Nassau Coliseum Redevelopment Project

By Joe Esposito
Nassau News Staff Writer

Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum and the 77-acre piece of land it sits on is about to revamp Hempstead and Uniondale’s future image, as well as Long Island in general.

New York Islander owner Charles B. Wang has proposed turning Nassau Coliseum and the 77-acre lot it sits on into a “modern 24/7 suburban center,” according to Real Estate Weekly

Long Island developer Reckson Associates, a part owner of the land, is a partner with Wang.

According to Newsday, Thomas R. Suozzi, the Nassau County executive, estimates the project will cost about “$1.6 billion dollars.”

The developer’s main focus is on the Coliseum itself.

The plans are to construct essentially a whole new Nassau Coliseum on a $300 million budget that will add luxury box suites as close to the action as any in hockey and, according to Sterling Equities’ proposal, create a “163-percent increase in box seats in general.” In the end there will be “1,000 luxury seats” available, compared to the current 380.

Besides changing the luxury view for Islander fans, the arena shape will change as well. The ice is going to be lowered five feet, which will make room for the new luxury box suites.

Detailed plan to transform 77-acre site from aging and obsolete

complex into state of the art suburban center, on schedule to be

presented in the Fall.

Lighthouse Development Group, LLC, a joint venture between

Long Island’s largest owner, manager and developer of

commercial real estate, RexCorp Realty, LLC and Charles Wang,

owner of the New York Islanders and New York Dragons, has

announced that they have selected the architecture and planning

firms Development Design Group Inc. (“DDG”) and The Spector

Group to assist in refining the master plan of its multi-billion dollar

redevelopment of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum site.

This will enable the Lighthouse Development Group to continue

development of its comprehensive plan which it intends to present

to the community, government and business leaders in the fall.

“I am very excited about our vision and plan to transform this 77-

acre site from an aging and obsolete complex into a vibrant, state

of the art suburban center, blending housing, office space, and

retail stores, with sports, entertainment and tourism. This is a

necessary investment in Long Island’s future and the future of our

children and generations to come,” said Charles Wang.

“By gaining additional input from the community and adding the

creativity and experience of DDG and The Spector Group, we will

soon be presenting what will be the pillar of smart growth and a

model for suburban redevelopment.”

“The selection of DDG and the Spector Group gives the

Lighthouse Project access to world-class talent and execution with

a regional perspective,” stated Scott Rechler, RexCorp’s Chief

Executive Officer.

“Successful suburban centers have been created in many similar

regions around the country and as we plan for one on Long Island,

we felt it was absolutely necessary to select firms with proven

track recordsDDG is an internationally renowned planning, architecture and

design firm that has delivered dynamic and extraordinary solutions

and provided superior expertise in many successful mixed use

projects across the country, notably the Westgate City Center in

Glendale, Arizona, Atlantic Station in Atlanta, Georgia, and Town

Square in Las Vegas, Nevada. The firm’s proven track record and

sensitivity to the surrounding community is reinforced time and

again with numerous awards for their work, including more than

75 national and international design awards over the past decade

including prestigious awards from the International Real Estate

Federation, the Urban Land Institute and the Pacific Coast Builders

Conference.

The Spector Group, Long Island’s leading master planner and

architecture firm, will provide local insight to the Lighthouse

development team and advise as to the character of the master plan

to insure the project remains true to Long Island. The firm has a

rich tradition of designing some of Long Island’s most

recognizable projects, including RexCorp Plaza, Jericho Plaza, CA

World Headquarters and the Downtown Riverhead Redevelopment

Project.

Mr. Rechler further stated, “After a thorough RFP process, DDG

and Spector were selected to help us complete the project. Also,

there are many planning, design, and economic study groups

already hard at work that will enable us to take the proper

regulatory steps in this very deliberative process. We will take the

time needed to achieve the highest level of coordination with our

neighbors, the Town of Hempstead, the County Executive, the

County Legislature and the State of New York.”MINEOLA, N.Y. -- A group headed by the owner of the New York Islanders was selected Thursday to renovate the Nassau Coliseum as part of a $1.6 billion development project, Nassau County executive Tom Suozzi said.Besides renovating the 36-year-old hockey and basketball arena in Uniondale, the proposal submitted by Islanders owner Charles Wang and his partners -- Long Island developer Reckson & Associates -- calls for a canal lined with retail shops, residential housing, office space, transportation and infrastructure improvements and the construction of a minor-league baseball park.

The proposal still needs the approval of a spectrum of town and county review boards, a process Suozzi conceded could take up to two years.

Suozzi, who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor, had selected Wang to redevelop the coliseum property more than a year ago. But when county legislators and others balked, he was forced to open the project to competitive bidding. Four groups, including one headed by Mets owner Fred Wilpon, made pitches to develop the property before Wang's group was selected.

Suozzi acknowledged that part of the equation in naming Wang's group was his ownership of the Islanders. Wang, who did not immediately return a call for comment, had held preliminary discussions with officials in neighboring Suffolk County about a possible move of his hockey franchise east.

"There was always, I think, a general understanding of anybody who looks at this reasonably that if we didn't do something we'd lose the Islanders," Suozzi said. "This deal now ... is even better. We have certainty that we have the Islanders until 2025."

The new coliseum will have a capacity of about 17,000 and feature luxury skyboxes and other amenities now standard in modern sports arenas. The current facility, which has been plagued by water pipe leaks and other maintenance headaches, has a capacity of 16,300. About the Lighthouse Development Group, LLC.

Lighthouse Development Group, LLC, a joint venture between Charles Wang, the Founder of the Lighthouse project and owner of the New York Islanders and New York Dragons, and RexCorp Realty, LLC., Long Island’s largest owner, manager and developer of commercial real estate, has been designated the exclusive developer of the Coliseum site and has entered into a Development Plan Agreement with the County of Nassau. The partnership combines Charles Wang’s vision for the revitalization of the aging Coliseum property with RexCorp’s renowned expertise. The Lighthouse project is the transformation of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum site and surrounding area into a modern 24/7 suburban center. The centerpiece will be a revitalized arena for the New York Islanders and New York Dragons, surrounded by exciting residential neighborhoods, lifestyle retail and entertainment venues, a sports technology center, multi-purpose athletic complex, state-of-the-art conference and exhibition facilities, a baseball stadium, and the first 5-star hotel on Long Island. The estimated $2 billion project is expected to generate almost $60 million of annual real estate tax revenue. An expected 16,000 construction jobs, thousands of permanent jobs and many new businesses will be created. Overall, the Lighthouse project will add more than $200 million of incremental revenue over the next 25 years to the County and the State from the renovation of the Coliseum alone and keep the New York Islanders on Long Island for decades to come. The Lighthouse at Long Island Top Ten Facts

1. The Lighthouse project will transform the 150-acres at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum site and the surrounding area into Long Island’s signature destination.

2. The Lighthouse is approximately 5.5 million square feet of new mixed-use development and will be designed and developed to be Long Island’s largest LEED, environmentally friendly, project.

3. The Coliseum will be transformed into a state-of-the-art arena providing a premier entertainment experience. With additional and expanded concourses, all new restrooms, VIP suites, larger seats, and first class concessions and restaurants, the arena will comfortably accommodate 17,500 for hockey, 18,500 for basketball and 20,000 fans for concerts.

4. The Sports Complex will be the region’s preferred sports and entertainment facility. It will house four sheets of ice for local teams and clubs, as well as be capable of hosting regional and national events. The facility will also include basketball courts and a state-of-the-art health club.

5. The Lighthouse’s central landscaped park, Celebration Plaza, will be larger than New York City’s Bryant Park, and will soon become Long Island’s favorite meeting place for family concerts, or just relaxing with a friend.

6. The project’s 2,300 residences will include next generation, luxury, active adult and multi-family housing types. There will be a mix of lofts, condominiums, and town houses set amidst quiet neighborhoods or above vibrant retail streetscapes. 7. Long Island’s first five-star hotel will contain 300 rooms, meeting and banquet facilities, and luxury full-service condominiums. 8. The project will have more than 250,000 square feet of Convention, Conference and Exhibition space and will establish Long Island as a preferred destination for national and international programs while giving local companies a place to host their events. 9. One million square feet of new class A office space, including a sports technology center, will attract new industries and create jobs and career opportunities as well as allow local companies to expand in the heart of Nassau County. 10. The project’s approximately 500,000 square feet of complementary retail, restaurants, and cafes will provide great places to dine and shop for residents and visitors alike.

The current Coliseum is one of the oldest sports arenas in the Country and it looks it. Instead of tearing it down and building a new one, we will give this ancient arena a complete and drastic makeover into a state-of-the-art multi use Arena. With a completely new exterior architecture, The Coliseum will look like a brand new building. and will save hundreds of millions of dollars and years of construction.

The inside will be completely re-done as well. We'll drop the ice 5 feet, maintain the excellent sight lines and give us room to add an entire ring of suites - the closest to the ice in the entire NHL. Seating occupancy will be 17,500 for hockey, 18,500 for basketball and 20,000 for concerts and family shows.

The Arena Bowl will be totally redesigned with all new seating, sound system, video boards, restaurants, bars, suites and club seating.

All new customer services include dramatic entrances and wide concourses, super selection food courts, larger and more washrooms, retail, ancillary entertainment, family play area, business center, function rooms and bright contemporary interiors. Redesigned service areas and new technologies will allow more events with greater variety.

Suozzi Taps Wang-Reckson as
$1.6 Billion Nassau Coliseum ‘New Suburbia’ Developer Proposal Includes Renovated Coliseum, Extension of Islanders’ Lease, Minor League Baseball Stadium,
Next-Generation Housing, and Transit Improvements Mineola, NY- Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today announced that the proposal from the Lighthouse Development Group meets each of his seven core goals for the redevelopment of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Site, and lays out a plan that is consistent with his vision for “New Suburbia.

Among the highlights of the Lighthouse Development Group’s $1.6 billion proposal are: a $200 million renovation of the Nassau Coliseum; a commitment from the Islanders NHL team to stay until 2025; a canal lined with retail shops and mixed-use residential-commercial development; the creation of a pedestrian-friendly ‘Nassau Centre;’ an investment in a transportation system; the construction of a minor-league baseball stadium and the development of next generation housing.

“After a thorough, competitive and open review process, my evaluation team has chosen the Lighthouse Group’s proposal,” Suozzi said. “Their plan stood up against top-notch competition, and emerged as the best of the best. It matches the vision I’ve been talking about for ‘New Suburbia.’ We can look forward to a new minor-league ballpark, a renovated Coliseum, new housing and office space that will create excitement at the geographic heart of Nassau County and create an engine for economic growth. And we accomplish this at no cost to the taxpayers, while significantly increasing the tax base.”The project is expected to generate approximately $160 million in net new taxes through 2025.In February, Suozzi’s evaluation committee – Deputy County Executive Helena Williams, Counsel to the County Executive William J. Cunningham, III and Executive Commissioner of Planning Patricia Bourne – winnowed four proposals down to two. The committee decided that the Lighthouse Development Group best addressed each of the County Executive’s seven core goals in transforming the site into an attractive, vibrant, lucrative and multiple-use center. The Lighthouse proposal met or exceeded Suozzi’s core goals for the Coliseum site, including: Renovating or replacing the current Coliseum building into a world-class sports and entertainment facility, at no cost to the county.
About $200 million is earmarked for a dramatic overhaul of the Coliseum, including two new buildings to be incorporated into the Coliseum’s existing structure. The new buildings will house a basketball court, additional ice rinks, a fitness center, new locker rooms and other sports facilities. The Coliseum will also have expanded seating capacity with an additional 2,500 seats, including ice-level luxury boxes.

Minor League Baseball Stadium
The group also proposes to build – at no cost to the county – a new minor-league baseball stadium at the nearby Mitchel Field Athletic Complex, and to bring a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Atlantic League to the county. The proposed stadium will be subject to its own request-for-proposal and approval process.

Construction of structured parking adjacent to the Coliseum to free up land – currently used as parking lots – for other development.
Some $120 million will go toward the construction of Coliseum parking decks.

Extending the Islanders lease beyond its 2015 expiration, or making a deal with a comparable sports franchise.
The Lighthouse Group will extend the Islanders’ commitment to play professional hockey in Nassau County until 2025.

Creating a mixed-use commercial-residential development.
Townhouses, apartment buildings and office buildings will be constructed around a picturesque canal, to create a pedestrian-friendly suburban center.

Creating next-generation housing.
The Lighthouse Group will commit 20% of any new residential units to next-generation housing.

Expanding the tax base for Nassau County, the Town of Hempstead and area school districts.
New retail businesses and office space, as well as new residential units, will significantly expand the county’s tax base, kick starting new growth that Nassau needs to offset escalating property taxes.

Creating a public transportation system to connect the Coliseum site with the greater area known as the Nassau County Hub.
The Lighthouse Group has committed to spend $55 million on transportation improvements in the ‘Nassau Centre’ area, including $25 million toward transforming the Centre into a pedestrian-oriented suburban center. The group will also fund a bus-trolley system serving the Coliseum and its immediate surroundings, as well as bus service to connect with the LIRR.

The county’s request-for-proposals sought plans for the 77-acre Coliseum site, but the Lighthouse Group’s proposal includes plans for surrounding properties as well, resulting in a 150-acre vision. The Lighthouse Group owns properties adjacent to the 77-acre site, including the Marriott Hotel, Reckson Plaza and the Omni Office Complex. The proposal includes 6 million square feet of hotel, retail, office, residential and Coliseum space. Additionally, an extra $5 million is included in the proposal for community facilities, including proposed sponsorship for a Long Island Sports Hall of Fame.The Lighthouse Group’s control of adjacent properties, plus its ability to guarantee that the Islanders would continue to occupy the newly renovated Coliseum were factors in their selection, Suozzi said.
“This proposal makes the best possible use of the Coliseum site,” Suozzi said. “As the nation’s oldest suburb, the county really has no room left to grow. It is vital that we come up with new, creative ways to increase our tax base. This plan does that, while making the Coliseum site and the Nassau Centre an exciting place to live, work and play.”

County officials now will work to reach a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Lighthouse Group that would set out the major terms of the deal and establish a period for lease negotiations. Once a MOA is reached, it will be submitted for approval to the Nassau County Legislature. The plan also will need approval from the Town of Hempstead, which controls zoning issues at the site.

The county is hopeful that construction could begin at the site within two years. Reference is made to our memorandum of March 9, 2006, as revised, and the attendant

exhibits to same which we formally presented to you and your committee at our meeting last

week. As we detailed in our presentation, Lighthouse Development Group, LLC (“Lighthouse”)

has fully addressed the issues raised as a result of the feedback you received from the Request

for Proposal (“RFP”) process. Moreover, Lighthouse has significantly enhanced the project bothconceptually, with features such as minor league baseball, the Lighthouse Hub Trolley Systemand the Long Island Sports Hall of Fame, and financially, by committing to making additionalfinancial contributions in excess of $60 million. We have brought certainty to critical issuessuch as a clear commitment to Work Force/Next Generation Housing and have developed acomprehensive plan and strategy to immediately bring public transportation to the Hub,including provision for and allocation of $25 million to construct the infrastructure which willbring rapid public transportation to the very center of the Lighthouse project.

While we thank you for your praise of the completeness of our overall proposal and thelevel to which we have elevated this exciting project, we understand that you have a fewremaining issues to which you would like us to give further consideration. These issues are

addressed below. Additionally we have revised the March 9 th Memorandum to incorporate the

resolution of these additional issues so that you can have one document to refer to.

1. Islanders’ Commitment: You have inquired as to the potential to further extend

the Islanders’ lease for an additional 10 years beyond the 10 years which has already been

committed to.

The RFP process brought forth three proposals in addition to the Lighthouse proposal.

Two of the proposals offered alternatives which did not involve the Coliseum as part of the

project. The RFP process has now been narrowed down by your committee to two proposals.

Both proposals which you have selected incorporate the Coliseum as a featured element of the

concept plan. Only one proposal, the Lighthouse proposal, has guaranteed that a transformed

stateoftheart

Coliseum will have a primary tenant, the New York Islanders. Lighthouse makesthe additional commitment to extend the term of the Islanders’ lease to 2025.

The Coliseum is obviously an integral part of the development concept for this site. Untilnow, the primary source of the benefit of the Coliseum has been the Islanders. That is becausethe Coliseum does not currently form part of a more comprehensive development. OnceLighthouse reshapes the Coliseum site and the surrounding properties, into a truly pedestrianoriented, modern suburban destination center where Long Islanders will live, work and play, theopportunities presented are boundless. Through the Lighthouse proposal, the Islanders havemade a commitment, as the “anchor tenant,” to call the Coliseum their home for the next,approximately, 20 years. This commitment has already attracted an additional user to the area,

minor league baseball, and, the project is only at the concept stage. There is no telling what the

future holds for this site as a magnet for additional new and exciting sports teams, businesses and

entertainment enterprises.

The Islanders will be here for the long term, the County merely needs to select the

Lighthouse proposal to make that a certainty. Accordingly, Lighthouse agrees that without the

consent of the County, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, the principal use of the

Coliseum shall be limited to Sports and Entertainment uses.

2. Next Generation Housing/Work Force Housing: You have requested that we

provide a clear commitment to Work Force/Next Generation Housing. The County has made clear the importance of Next Generation/Work Force Housingrelating to the Project. We are prepared to provide 20% of our residential units as NextGeneration/Work Force Housing on the Coliseum property.

3. Development Metrics: The County has expressed a desire to play a more activerole in the ultimate development of Coliseum.

We have proposed and will create a Development Committee which will meet regularlyand advise Lighthouse. The County Executive and the County Legislature will each haverepresentation on the Development Committee. The County will also have approval rights overnumerous aspects of the project including connection to the Nassau County Sewer system,Health Department approvals and roadway improvements on County roads. Additionally, theCounty will be a coordinated agency during the review under the New York State EnvironmentalQuality Review Act.In order to give the County a more active role in the ultimate development of the Project,

we propose that the elements embodied in a development metrics, provided below, will be varied

only with the consent of the County. The elements of the development metrics are as follows:

a. Renovation to the Coliseum – a complete transformation of the Coliseum

into a stateofthe

art facility;

b. Commitment to provide structured parking to serve the Coliseum;

c. Minimum of 20% of the Residential Units to be Work Force/Next

Generation units, provided that if approvals are not obtained from the Town of

Hempstead for at least 10% of the Residential Units as Work Force/Next Generation

housing, the consent of the County shall be required.

4. Minor League Baseball Lighthouse

is committed to minor league baseball and

Reckson has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Atlantic League ofProfessional Baseball Clubs (“ALPBC”) to bring a minor league team to the Hub. Lighthousewill work with the ALPBC to cause a new minor league stadium to be constructed at MAC Parkwhich is adjacent the Omni property owned by Reckson and is in walking distance to the

Coliseum Property and Museum Row. In order to preserve open/green space on the ColiseumProperty, shared parking will be provided adjacent to the MAC Park at the Omni property.

5. Additional Financial Commitment during the Approval Period: You have

requested that we consider a financial commitment which would be made during the approvals

period.

Lighthouse has already invested millions of dollars as evidence of its financial

commitment to the project. In addition, Lighthouse agrees that commencing upon the execution

of the lease with Nassau County, we will pay “Approvals Period Payments” in the amount of

$1.5 million annually. The Approvals Period Payments will be applied against Rent due on and

after the Rent Commencement Date. In the event that Lighthouse does not obtain the requisite

approvals for the project and elects to terminate in accordance with its proposal, the Approvals

Period Payments will be forfeited by Lighthouse.

6. Rent and Revenue Sharing: You have requested rent escalations and revenue

sharing beyond those which are provided in the Lighthouse proposal. Specifically, you have

requested a revaluation of the rent at a future date. You have also requested an additional

mechanism for the County to share in the revenue of the project beyond that which is contained

in our proposal.As previously indicated, the Lighthouse proposal incorporates fixed escalations into theproposed lease with the County. As also indicated in our previous responses and as guaranteedby the Development Metrics outlined above, Lighthouse is paying millions of dollars up front, asa condition to entering into the lease with the County. In response to your request for additionalfinancial commitment during the development approvals process, Lighthouse has now agreed tomake Approval Payments commencing upon execution of the lease with the County.Lighthouse will be risking billions of dollars, years of experience and countless hours oftime, in an effort to bring this project to fruition. We believe that a resetting of the rent or anyrevaluation of the property at any point during the lease term and/or any additional revenuesharing arrangement would make the project economically unviable. THE NASSAU BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY PLANNING COALITION MEETING:

Nassau Coliseum Redevelopment Proposals

BACKGROUND

On December 1 st , 2005 , the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce and Vision Long Island co-sponsored a meeting of the Nassau Business and Community Planning Coalition. The event centered on the proposals submitted by four prominent developers in response to Nassau County 's RFP [1] for the redevelopment of Nassau Coliseum. They are: The Coliseum Redevelopment Corp. (New York Mets/Sterling Equities/Blumenfeld Development), Lighthouse Development Group (Charles Wang/Reckson Associates), Polimeni International-The Cordish Co. and Engel Burman-Kabro Associates. In addition to representatives of each developer, over 90 people participated, including Chamber of Commerce leaders, Village Mayors, elected officials, and key members of the environmental, civic and educational institutions.

Broadly, the purpose of the gathering was to open up the previously closed-door negotiations between Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and Charles Wang, reinforcing the mandate that proper process be considered whenever the County is faced with any and all land-use decisions. Therefore, the multitude of Village and small-business leaders whom were not present at the Suozzi-Wang meetings were invited to view each group's proposal presentations first-hand, and were also afforded opportunity to ask questions and provide input.

The Coliseum parcel is especially important because although it is County land and is officially in Uniondale, the traffic, economic, and environmental impacts of the redevelopment will affect the neighboring Villages and Towns, including Hempstead, Mineola , Garden City and Westbury, as well as the entire county. In addition, the site is the home of the New York Islanders, the much-loved but often maligned hockey team owned by Wang, and operated by SMG, a venue management, marketing and development company. Thus, with so many different interests invested and proposed for the site, including the myriad of organizations invited in the proceedings was an essential step.

After introductions by NCCC President Richard Bivone and Eric Alexander, Executive Director of Vision Long Island, each developer presented their unique plans for the future of what many consider to be Nassau County 's most valuable land. The presentations ranged from straightforward Power Point presentations to professionally produced DVD productions. As the developers fine-tuned their AV equipment and representatives stated their respective cases, the general mood among the invited guests seemed to be guarded excitement. While the potential economic benefits for the County and surrounding towns are enormous, most Long Islanders have become shell-shocked when faced with development. In other words, because of the daily confrontation with so much bad development, people are increasingly resistant to any development.

PRESENTATIONS

Coliseum Redevelopment Corporation (Sterling Equities/Blumenfeld/NY Mets)

This conglomerate pairs the development knowledge of Blumenfeld with the sports-management experience of the NY Mets and Sterling Equities, the owners of the Mets and the Cyclones. Their plan features a 100,000 SF convention center, replacing the Coliseum's subterranean and sub-standard convention space, and a hotel, augmenting the current Long Island Marriot with 200 additional rooms. In addition, they propose to build a minor league baseball stadium along the lines of the Brooklyn Cyclone's Keyspan Park , noting that many cannot afford the high cost of attending a Mets game.

Like the Wang proposal, CRC's focus is on the expansion of sports operations on the Coliseum site, increasing the seating and retail capacity of the coliseum and providing additional parking spaces totaling 12,300 spots. Presenter David Blumenfeld stressed that their plan does not hinge on the Islanders, and that if they choose to leave their current home, there are many other options for the renovated Coliseum. There is lesser emphasis on housing, represented by two three-decked housing complexes that resemble the adjacent parking garage.

Moreover, in the County's RFP, they solicit the incorporation of the Hub MIS into each proposal. This is the only plan that adequately addresses the integration of mass transit into the site, the purpose of which is to reduce the amount of cars and congestion generated by the renewed Coliseum. Blumenfeld cited either a light rail between the LIRR's Hempstead Station, or a more aggressive monorail system from neighboring Mineola , a system Blumenfeld compared to the Jamaica Station-Howard Beach-JKF AirTrain.

What's Included: 1 million sq. ft. retail, 700,000 sq. ft. “lifestyle residential” with 20% housing designated “workforce” ($90,000 cap as defined in RFP), 500,000 sq. ft. office. The Bottom Line: $1.4 billion, including $300 million for coliseum renovation and $100 million for 10,000 additional parking spaces.

Lighthouse Development Group LLC (Charles Wang/Reckson Associates)

The second presentation was made by Charles Wang himself, accompanied by Michael Picker of Lighthouse Development Group. Lighthouse began with a video of sweeping camera shots, detailing the aesthetic features, exciting retail prospects, and the “town square” concept embodied by a large green circled with shops and offices, and anchored by the 60-story “Lighthouse” of hotel and condo space. Large apartment towers with ground floor retail run parallel to a canal spanned by pedestrian bridges. The viewers were also offered a sports technology center, promised to become the “ Silicon Valley ” of the sports tech world, and a brand-new conference facility.

The Lighthouse itself was brushed over by the video and by Wang in the spoken portion of the presentation. Instead, he made broad statements emphasizing the importance of the establishment of industry on the island to keep and attract Long Island 's next generation, and that his sports technology center is the realization of such an industry. He also suggested partnerships with neighboring colleges to develop a sports technology curriculum or institute.

Wang reinforced his commitment to the Islanders, providing them a completely renovated Coliseum, replete with 80+ luxury boxes and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Special mention was given to his partner, Reckson Associates, which owns a number of properties ringing the site including EAB Plaza and the OMNI building, and Wang promised the shared-use of these buildings and their parking by the development's tenants.

While offering a laudable level of density, the Lighthouse plan did not assimilate a mass transit network, creating the specter of almost untenable car congestion for many audience members.

What's Included: 3.5 million sq. ft. residential, 1 million sq. ft. office, 500,000 sq. ft. office, 500,000 sq. ft. hotel/convention.

The Bottom Line: $1 billion, including $150 million to increase Coliseum to 17,500 hockey seats and 20,000 concert seats.

Polimeni International LLC – The Cordish Company

The third proposal marked a different approach to the Coliseum than the previous two, offering a new County seat. Vincent Polimeni outlined his consortium's plan, illustrating their proposal to consolidate the County's fragmented office system into a new 600,000 square-foot building complex. In exchange for the new buildings, Polimeni's group would receive the County's 77 acres of Coliseum land, subsequently putting it back on the tax rolls with Class A office space. Beyond the office space, Polimeni designed in three buildings for apartments or condos.

While a representative of the Cordish Company was not present, their role in the project should not be underestimated. They are the people responsible for the public-private redevelopment venture of Baltimore 's Inner-Harbor, a once-struggling downtown waterfront that is now a lucrative destination for Baltimoreans and tourists alike. They offer an impressive portfolio of public-private developments featuring high-profile entertainment and mixed-use districts.

What's Included: 650,000 sq. ft. residential, 1.2 million sq. ft. County Seat, 1.7 million sq. ft. office, 130,000 sq. ft. retail. The Bottom Line: $725 million, including $150 million for coliseum renovations and an entertainment venue, and $75 million for a new county seat.

Engel Burman – Kabro Associates

The final presentation was by long-time Island builders Engel Burman. Headed by Jan Burman, their project proposes to drastically reduce the sports-related activities on the parcel, opting instead for a primarily residential and commercial use with a small retail base primarily for residents. Burman has two plans: either they develop the entire site with condominiums and office buildings, or the County (or Wang, for that matter) can retain the 37-acres of the Coliseum and EBK will populate the south-40 with condos.

Perhaps the least dense or retail-based of the three, it is understandable considering that Engel Burman's primary expertise is in residential developments. The residential component features four 15-story towers, two artificial lakes, and parking for 1,500 cars. Their portfolio includes The Bristol Assisted Living in Westbury and The Meadows, a condo complex in East Meadow .

What's Included: Plan A – 960,000 sq. ft. residential (four towers), 2 million sq. ft. office, 100,000 retail; Plan B – 960,000 sq. ft. residential.

The Bottom Line: $800 million, with promised rent returns of 2.5 – 5 million.

Visit http://www.co.nassau.ny.us/coliseum/index.html for a full listing of presentations and statistics.

QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION

After the four developers concluded their presentations, the meeting launched into a productive and exciting Q&A session moderated by Mr. Bivone and Mr. Alexander. The audience's questions seemed to center on three main topics: transportation and traffic, housing (specifically affordable housing) and environmental impacts. While all the issues are absolutely essential to the current discussion surrounding the Coliseum, Bivone and Alexander made point that these plans are in their early stages of development, and each plan is still pending environmental and traffic studies.

Participants stressed an open mind when addressing land-use and transportation issues, as well as housing and environmental concerns.

Transit

How does the project impact traffic? Can there be an integration of mass transit?
Unless there is a massive paradigm shift (re: transit) might this not be built at all?
Is the county willing to invest in mass transit?
Should Mineola or Hempstead be the jump-off for transit? Housing

Do the proposals address Long Island 's affordable housing crunch?
What are the bottom line percentages of affordable housing included in each developer's proposal?
How does the Nassau HUB study fit into each proposal? Can we incorporate more transit? Maybe a monorail?
What is the aquifer/environmental impact of this project? Environment

Is anyone planning on incorporating clean energy or green building?
Can the current sewer infrastructure support such high density? Miscellaneous Are the projects about Long Island or are they about developers?

• How does each project augment Nassau 's tax base?

• Who will construct the project? Union workers? Minimum wage workers?

• Can this become a cultural and entertainment destination?

• Can we draw people from beyond the island?

• Can these projects “do it all?” SHOULD they do it all? [1] The County issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the site, with goals that included renovating the Coliseum as a "state of the art facility;" redevelopment consistent with the County's Master Plan for the area; keeping the Islanders, or attracting a comparable sports franchise; incorporating mass transit; and ensuring at least 15% of all housing develped at the site be "next generation" or "workforce" housing (affordable for a family earning $90,000/year or less).

“Paris has her tower,” the promotional blurb reads. “London has its bridge. China has the Wall. Long Island will have ... THE LIGHTHOUSE.”

What is this all about? It’s about Charles Wang, the billionaire developer and hockey team co-owner, who hasn’t gotten over his tower fixation. He and a partner filed a proposal last week with the Town of Hempstead for a huge development called the Lighthouse at Long Island. It would turn a 77-acre dead zone of county-owned land in Uniondale — the Nassau Hub — into a megaplex of shops, offices, condominiums, hotels, parking lots and garages, all wrapped around a rebuilt Nassau Coliseum, where Mr. Wang’s Islanders play.

About the only thing it would not have is a lighthouse. There had been one in Mr. Wang’s original proposal, unveiled in 2004. It was to be 60 stories tall, with a beacon and an observation deck, but it was razzed to death and abandoned. Mr. Wang has kept only the project’s name and overall immensity, and is bracing for a long slog with the governmental bodies in Hempstead and Nassau County that control its fate.

Having been burned before in trying to get Long Islanders to see things his way — there is a deep aversion to gargantuan things that reshape the suburban landscape, unless they are called Home Depot or Bed, Bath & Beyond — Mr. Wang is now straddling the line between boldness and timidity. Go to www.lighthouseli.com, pore over the glossy images and watch the video, and you may be forgiven for thinking that Mr. Wang is proposing the mildest, most inoffensive 5.5 million-square-foot development imaginable.

The Lighthouse on Long Island is shown as a bucolic, sunlit oasis where people shop, stroll, ice-skate, go to Islanders games, nuzzle their children, get massages and jog with their golden retrievers.

(It is also strangely, overwhelmingly white. There are a few African-Americans in the slide shows, but don’t blink or you will miss them. You will find a couple of black athletes being fixed up in the “Sports Technology Center.”)

The emphasis is on the Islanders, of course, along with luxury shopping, luxury hotels and luxury condominiums, on fancy weddings and banquets, with offices and housing discreetly tucked in here and there. The project is to be completed in phases, with the most important parts — the new Coliseum, convention center, hotel rooms and condos — going up first, and the apartments coming later.

We recognize that conceptual drawings on a Web site are a far cry from a finished product. But it is not premature or unfair to point out that a lot of the things Nassau actually needs — the elements of the “New Suburbia” that County Executive Tom Suozzi keeps talking about — are either glossed over or nowhere to be found. What about mass transit? A robust mix of rail, bus and trolley is absolutely critical to making this part of Nassau work again. Why are the plans for it so vague? Where is the housing for regular people, the ones who, at the rate things are going, will end up traveling to Islander games from North Carolina?

Shouldn’t the school-tax windfall from the project be shared among neighboring communities, as the county assessor has proposed, rather than being dumped lavishly on Uniondale? And once the construction jobs are gone, what good jobs will be left for local residents, besides shop clerk and ticket taker? The Hub needs to be an economic engine for all of Nassau, not just for Mr. Wang’s Islanders.

There is time for a discussion about these concerns, and we look to Mr. Suozzi to lead it. The Lighthouse could anchor and fulfill his dream of “New Suburbia.” But so far, the most important ingredients of that vision look like afterthoughts.

Developers pitch Nassau Coliseum plans

By Harrell, Jeremy
Publication: Long Island Business News
Date: Friday, November 11 2005
Subject: Stadiums

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Charles Wang got a better look at his competition on Thursday night. The software billionaire, who's teamed with Reckson Associates on a $1.5 billion proposal to rebuild the Nassau Coliseum and surrounding 77 acres of county land, joined three other teams trying to convince county officials of the best way to rebuild the land.

Wang, who owns the New York Islanders hockey team, and Reckson

chief Scott Rechler expanded on their previously disclosed plan, suggesting, for instance, that they would sink Hempstead Turnpike and Charles Lindbergh Boulevard to connect the 77 acres with 73 other acres already owned by Reckson. During their 30-minute presentation, the pair almost entirely neglected to mention their proposal's most controversial feature: a 60-story tower dubbed the Lighthouse. Rechler said only that their project is not about any single building, and instead highlighted the project's hotel, residential properties, retail, canal, sports complex and refurbished arena.

Under questioning from county officials, who will eventually forward their recommendation to the county Legislature for approval, Wang said he was maybe wedded to a 60-story tower. We have to have an icon, adding that a 20- or 40-story tower wouldn't rise to iconic stature. New York Mets Development Corp. and Blumenfeld Development Group, may prove to be the stiffest challenge to Wang and Reckson. Their plan includes a renovated coliseum, two 15-story buildings housing residential and commercial property, a lifestyle center and a minor-league ballpark, among many features. Jeff Wilpon, a principal in the joint venture, said the team, if selected, would work with Islanders, the coliseum's chief tenant, on rebuilding the coliseum and any lease negotiation. But Wilpon said that if the Islanders left Nassau - a possibility if Wang loses his bid - the baseball field could take over as the focal point of the development.

Meanwhile, one team said it didn't need the coliseum at all. Jan Burman, whose Engel Burman Group joined with Kabro Associates on a proposal centered on retail and residential property, said the coliseum isn't the best and highest use of the county land. In the last year, the Islanders didn't play, and Long Island didn't fall off the face of the earth, he said. Burman said his team would buy out the county's contracts with the Islanders and the coliseum's independent operator and demolish the building. Burman suggested Wang could build a new arena on the hundreds of acres [Wang] owns in Plainview.

New York Islanders owner Charles Wang unveiled his vision for a $200-million "transformation" of the aging Nassau Coliseum yesterday, including additional seating, an athletic complex adjacent to the facility and future plans for a 60-story hotel-condo tower.

"What we are doing here is great for Long Island, great for New York. It will bring business and jobs to the area and dollars to the county and state," said Michael Picker, senior vice president of operations for the Islanders and the New York Dragons arena football team.

The first phase of the project would lower the Coliseum's floor to add the additional seats, including 50 new luxury boxes at Row 15, which Picker said would provide the closest view for luxury-type seating of any facility in the country. The athletic complex would include an ice rink, basketball, volleyball and a health club. The plan calls for construction to begin in 2006 and be completed in 2009. Most of the heavy work would be done during the summer from June to October when hockey season starts. The Coliseum would be closed during that time.

Financial details of the proposal, however, were sketchy. Picker said the overhaul of the Coliseum and construction of the athletic complex would be done with help from state, the county and Wang. He would not release further details.

Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi would not comment on the proposal and Islanders spokesman Chris Botta wouldn't comment on the financing. "The deal isn't done," he said.

By lowering the Coliseum floor, Picker said the facility would increase its seating from 16,300 to 17,500 for hockey games, could seat 18,500 for basketball games and 20,000 for concerts. The facility would keep 31 luxury boxes at the top of the Coliseum, Picker said.

Calling it "The Coliseum At The Lighthouse," Picker said Wang's vision for the area also includes a second phase, which would develop the 70 acres surrounding the Coliseum. However, who will develop that area, how it will be financed, and whether zoning and environmental issues can be addressed remain uncertain.

Plans for Phase 2 include "The Great Lighthouse," a 60-story building with a 10,000-square-foot observatory deck with a hundred miles of unobstructed view. The building is modeled on the ancient "Great Lighthouse" of Alexandria, Egypt.

Beneath the deck would be the Grand Hotel at the Lighthouse, a five-star, 500-room hotel with four restaurants, ballrooms and sky terraces. The lobby of the hotel will be on the 40th floor and every room, officials said, will have "incredible views."

Beneath the hotel would be luxury condominiums ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 square feet.

Picker said there is also a plan to develop "The Residences At The Lighthouse," which would be "affordable priced," mid-rise rental apartments that would be connected to the athletic complex and Coliseum.

The delicacy of the plan was borne out yesterday through state and county officials who had inklings of the plan but were hesitant to comment on details, worried about upstaging Wang and blowing the deal.

Some state and county officials said they had learned Wang would finance much of the project himself.

County officials have long said that cash-strapped Nassau, while its finances are improving, is in no position to provide cash. However, it can provide the 70 acres around the Coliseum for development.

For months, Wang has made the political rounds, courting Gov. George Pataki and other Albany lawmakers for state help and holding many meetings with Suozzi.

He plans to meet with local officials, Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs, (D-Woodbury) and Minority Leader Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa), today to discuss his plan in detail.

The Suozzi administration has long viewed a Coliseum project as key to the redevelopment of the central Nassau Hub, which stretches from the EAB Plaza in Uniondale on the southeast to Roosevelt Field mall on the northwest.

To pull off the second phase of Wang's plan, the county would have some major hurdles to clear. County officials said that a major transportation system, which would cost millions, would have to be developed to accommodate increased use of the area. There are zoning and environmental issues that would have to be worked out as well.

And Nassau County is still under contract with SMG of Philadelphia, which manages the Coliseum under a lease that runs until 2015. The company receives the bulk of revenue from concession stands and luxury boxes, and has management rights to any facility built on the 70-acre parcel around the Coliseum. Nassau Coliseum, neighbor to the University, could receive a makeover if the owner of the New York Islanders has his way.

The team's owner, Charles Wang, has proposed a plan that would radically alter Hempstead, N.Y. and subsequently affect the University and its students.

The plan calls for Nassau Coliseum to be renovated, lowering the floor to create additional seating, including luxury boxes. An athletic complex would be built next to the Coliseum, which would have an ice rink, basketball and volleyball courts and a health club.

Students could benefit from the renovation, Melissa Connolly, assistant vice president for University Relations, said.

"The President [of Hofstra] has been supportive of Mr. Wang and thinks the proposal is good for Hofstra," she said. "The plan includes a sports complex in walking distance from Hofstra and this would greatly improve campus life."

Connolly said she is excited for any place to be considered "walkable" from the University.

As far as concerns about traffic and other problems dealing with increased urbanization of the area, Connolly assured the University's facilities and personnel would handle any such changes.

"Hofstra has a history of developing according to the needs of its students and we will address key problems that might arise," she said.

Since renovations have not been finalized, the University has no specific plans to deal with the changes as of yet.

"Events already at Hofstra, such as the Special Olympics and various athletic camps, have been handled," she said.

Connolly also noted construction has occurred around the University before without incident, citing the buildings behind the residence halls, which were erected in recent years.

Connolly was unable to say how the University would formally use the renovated Nassau Coliseum. A formal current relationship with Nassau Coliseum has not been established.

Renovating the Coliseum and adding a sports complex is only the first phase of Wang's overall plan. The second phase calls for a total transformation of the 70-acre area around the Coliseum. Luxury condominiums and a hotel would be built, with a 60-story lighthouse dubbed the "Great Lighthouse," as the centerpiece.

HEMPSTEAD, NY –The Lighthouse Long Island will provide local jobs and promote tourism. If approved by Nassau County Legislature, the Lighthouse project would provide an economic and cultural hub here on Long Island. This project would be an excellent way to highlight and celebrate the unique communities of Nassau County.

When people think of Long Island, they generally think of beaches and huge houses in the Hamptons. It’d be an understatement to say that Hempstead is not considered the nicest town on Long Island. In fact, it’s often viewed as a sore spot in one of the wealthiest areas of our country.

Charles Wang, real estate developer and NY Islanders owner, has proposed a new cultural hub that would help change that reputation. Wang's project is privately funded, so tax payers won't be charged a penny.

The “Lighthouse on Long Island” will be more than just a lighthouse. In a statement on the project’s website (www.lighthouseli.com), Wang says he hopes that it will be a destination for Long Islanders and visitors alike. When built, the Lighthouse will feature a renovated Coliseum, an athletic complex, sports technology center, residences, conference center, hotel and a town square. Developers say the goal of the project is to create a new, state of the art, fun place for people to congregate. (www.lighthouseli.com).

The Lighthouse project is something for Long Islanders to get excited about for a number of reasons. First, it won’t cost taxpayers anything because it is being privately funded. Second, it will create over 3000 new jobs. Finally, it will invite more events and concerts to come to Hempstead who might have otherwise been turned off by the small and outdated Coliseum. The Lighthouse community hub would be a catalyst for cultural and economic expansion in Hempstead.

Wang’s original proposal was drafted in the summer of 2004 with a Letter of Intent. They are still waiting for their lease agreement to be approved. For now, things seem to be at a stand-still. Wang’s proposal is ready to be set in motion. It just needs to be approved by Nassau County legislature. So far, they have been hesitant to commit.

Click here to see a map of the Lighthouse Long Island site.

Cassie Goldberg works in Nassau Coliseum for the New York Islanders hockey team. She is excited about the prospect of working in a renovated arena. “The Coliseum is really small. It’s outdated and I’d love to see some renovations here. I’d be really excited to have a more modern place to do work. It’d make everything easier.”

The Islanders could benefit from a renovated facility. Goldberg says that they often run out of space for members of the press. She also says that the building is in need of repairs and costs a lot to maintain. She feels that people would be more interesting in coming to the games if the arena was nicer. Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi is also in favor of the project. In February, he confirmed his support of the construction and spoke with Long Islanders about the need to spur economic development in Nassau County. He then explained why he felt the Lighthouse project could help make that happen. (http://www.lighthouseli.com/news/020907.php). THE competition to redevelop the 77-acre Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum site in Uniondale, and in the process to create a new suburban center in Nassau County, has taken on a new look in the last week. But the eventual picture will not include Charles B. Wang's 60-story lighthouse tower.

Two of the four proposals for the site underwent major revisions -- most notably the withdrawal of plans for the tower by Mr. Wang, the owner of the New York Islanders and a founder of Computer Associates of Islandia, and Scott Rechler, the chief executive of Reckson Associates Realty of Melville.

Mr. Wang and Mr. Rechler told Nassau officials of their concession in a letter tinged with bitterness. The tower would have been the centerpiece for what they called the Lighthouse Project, a $1 billion commercial, sports and residential makeover of the coliseum property.

At the same time, and in response to a Dec. 23 deadline that the county set for final offers from the competing developers, the New York Mets Development Corporation expanded its plans with a proposal to knock down the 34-year-old coliseum and replace it with a new arena as part of a broader $1.5 billion project. The Mets' proposal also includes a station for a light-rail spur.

None of the three proposals competing with Mr. Wang's and Mr. Rechler's include a tower, though all envision multistory buildings.

Mr. Wang had campaigned across the county to build public support for his tower, which he referred to as a lighthouse. He had promoted it as a presence that, besides being the tallest structure on Long Island, would give both the Nassau hub and the Island a soaring new sense of identity.

Critics said the tower was grandiose, presumptuous and an affront to the low-slung suburban horizon.

The proposal lost much of its momentum when the county executive, Thomas R. Suozzi, said during his re-election campaign that he was not in favor of the idea; he had previously urged Mr. Wang to come up a plan that would revive the coliseum's sagging fortunes.

In their letter, dated Dec. 22 but not released by the county until Wednesday, Mr. Wang and Mr. Rechler said that although they had argued repeatedly that the project needed a ''distinctive icon,'' they were ''not willing to allow the tower to be the political football that keeps the Lighthouse Project from becoming a reality for the benefit of Long Island.''

''Accordingly,'' the letter continued, ''the Lighthouse vision will no longer contain the tower. Instead, we will work with the Town of Hempstead to develop an appropriate icon for the project.''

The letter did not say what would be appropriate, and the project's spokesman, Chris Botta, said that Mr. Wang had not specified whether it needed to be a tall structure.

Mr. Wang had previously expressed frustration with the slow pace of county action. His letter accused the county of allowing the coliseum, the home of the Islanders, to become ''one of the worst venues in the country'' and ''the last choice in the New York metropolitan area for concerts and other events.'' The Wang-Rechler plan calls for renovating and enlarging the coliseum.

The letter also called the coliseum ''a financial drain on an already fiscally beleaguered county'' and said that the Islanders had lost $100 million over the last five years.

The letter ended with a plea that the Lighthouse Project be put before the County Legislature for an immediate vote. But the county's selection process makes that unlikely.

Helena E. Williams, a deputy county executive, said the county would provide its consultants with the responses from the four development teams. She said the consultants would report back by mid-January and an evaluation team, which includes herself and two others, would make recommendations to Mr. Suozzi.

Mr. Suozzi's choice of a proposal would then go to the Legislature, where public hearings would precede a vote.

Mr. Botta said Mr. Wang had made it clear as long ago as Nov. 10, when the development teams made presentations to the evaluation committee and Mr. Suozzi, that he was open to alternativMonths ahead of schedule, Lighthouse Development Group--a joint venture of developer Charles Wang and RexCorp Realty L.L.C.--have filed plans with Long Island's Town of Hempstead for the approximately $2 billion, 5.5 million-square-foot Lighthouse at Long Island mixed-used development.

The filing and rezoning of the site marks the start of the official public review and approval process of the project, which will revitalize the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (pictured) and the surrounding area into a 24/7 suburban center through a 150-acre planned development district. Lighthouse will include various housing projects, office space, complementary retail, conference and exhibition space and Long Island's first five-star hotel.

In the meantime, the Lighthouse Development team has already started a review of existing environmental conditions surrounding the side, including traffic, access to public transportation, land uses, utilities and other considerations which will form the baseline for an environmental impact statement that will study the impacts associated with the proposal. A public scoping process is expected to begin in early 2008, and RexCorp chairman & CEO Scott Rechler recently told CPN that the project should start within 18 to 24 months.

The project is expected to generate almost $60 million of annual real estate tax revenue, 16,000 construction jobs, thousands of permanent jobs and many new businesses. Overall, Lighthouse at Long Island will add more than $200 million of incremental revenue over the next 25 years to Nassau County and New York State, the joint venture had noted.

"This development is a positive for Long Island," said Brian Dugan, senior managing director of CB Richard Ellis Inc.'s Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn and Bronx office, who is not involved in the project. "There's not enough new product in Long Island, and projects that are (coming online) are not enough."

Dugan noted that many companies have also been more aware of their earnings and may rethink paying $125 per-square-foot rents in Manhattan. "Why pay that much when you can get $42-per-square-foot brand new space?" he asked. And since the other major New York City metropolitan office markets--Westchester, Fairfield, Conn. and the New Jersey waterfront--are extremely tight, Long Island would be a natural transition. "(Long Island) is hoping to become a recipient," he continued. "This project has the kind of infrastructure companies are looking for."

The powerhouse duo of Rechler and Wang have been keeping quite busy as of late; at the end of October, they announced the creation of the Lighthouse Foundation, a charitable organization that received an initial endowment of $1 million from Lighthouse Development Group. The mission of the foundation is to identify and nurture opportunities that strengthen the communities and institutions that surround both the Coliseum and the Lighthouse project.

RexCorp has also recently announced two other major mixed-use projects on Long Island: the $1 billion, 67-acre waterfront Glen Isles development in Glen Cove; and a $550 million, 224-unit Ritz-Carlton condominium residences project in North Hills with co-developer Midtown Properties. The latter project is part of a $2.8 billion partnership between RexCorp and Midtown, which will also include another Ritz-Carlton residential project in Baltimore's Inner Harbor and a 6-million-square-foot mixed-use waterfront project in Bridgeport, Conn.es to the tower.

PROJECT LIGHTHOUSE RESEARCH LINKS

2008-03-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DE3D91330F93AA35754C0A9609C8B63&fta=y
THE WEEK; NASSAU COLISEUM PLAN FACES ZONING HURDLE
A times article discussing zoning issues of the Nassau Coliseum. It mentions the latest attempts to renovate the Coliseum and turn it into a "town square."

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-liwang294446928sep29,0,5216529.story?coll=ny-homepage-bigpix2005
WANG, RECKSON TEAM TO REDEVELOP COLISEUM
Islanders owner, stymied by lawmakers in his plan for the Coliseum, joins with Reckson to bolster his bid

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/nyregion/15development.html?fta=y
ENVISIONING LIVELY DOWNTOWN AT EDGE OF COLISEUM
An article discussing the plan to turn the Nassau Coliseum into a downtown district.

http://www.vhb.com/template_project.asp?pagename=prj_30499_NassauColiseum
NASSAU COLISEUM REDEVELOPMENT
An article from the perspective of the would-be traffic planners of the project.

http://3dwalkthroughs.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/design-teams-hired-in-nassau-coliseum-project/
DESIGN TEAMS HIRED IN NASSAU COLISEUM PROJECT
An article discussing the Nassau Coliseum redevelopment project from the perspective of one of the design groups: 3-D Walkthroughs.com

http://www.lighthouseli.com/news/news.php
PROJECT LIGHTHOUSE TIMELINE AND EVENTS
A schedule of events since the project was proposed from the official website of the Project Lighthouse Development Group.

http://nassaunews.org/news/2008/01/nassau_coliseum_redevelopment_1.html
NASSAU COLISEUM REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT
An example of another final project from Journalism 80 on the same topic. This multimedia presentation provides ALOT of insight about this project.

http://www.rexcorprealty.com/resources/5028/Real%20Estate%20Weekly%20-%20Lighthouse%20-%208%207%2007.pdf
LIGHTHOUSE TAPS DEVELOPMENT DESIGN GROUP FOR NASSAU COLISEUM REDEVELOPMENT
Detailed plan to transform 77-acre site from aging and obsolete complex into state of the art suburban center, on schedule to be presented in the Fall.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2371490
ISLES OWNER'S GROUP CHOSEN TO RENOVATE COLISEUM
A group headed by the owner of the New York Islanders was selected to renovate the Nassau Coliseum as part of a $1.6 billion development project

http://www.lighthouseli.com/about/highlights.php
ABOUT THE LIGHTHOUSE DEVELOPMENT GROUP, LLC.
More information from the official site of the Lighthouse Development Group about the companies hired to do much of the design work as well as info about the benefits the lighthouse will offer to LI.