Las Vegas Sands may have dropped its bid for a New York City casino license, but a Long Island community group says that isn’t enough. The Say No to the Casino Civic Association is urging Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R) to abandon the Nassau Coliseum casino proposal altogether.
The group criticized Blakeman for pursuing what it calls “long-shot partnerships” to replace Sands, claiming he’s wasting taxpayer money on a project they believe is already finished.
“Blakeman is willing to continue this farce and pretend a gaming license is still possible, wasting more taxpayer money, even though this shameful chapter of the Nassau HUB’s evolution is clearly over,” the organization said.
Reports surfaced last week that Blakeman has been in discussions with international parties — including contacts in Albania and China — about stepping in as potential developers. He hasn’t shared details or confirmed whether any gaming operators are involved.
Sands Exploring New Options
Sands notified analysts last Wednesday that it’s officially walking away from the New York casino race, citing possible future competition from iGaming if New York legalizes online wagering. COO and President Patrick Dumont added that the company hopes to pass the Long Island project to a third party with experience in both land-based and online casino operations. Sources say Sands is already in talks, with a potential announcement expected soon.
The company has not disclosed who those talks involve, and the list of qualified operators appears limited. Meanwhile, the Say No to the Casino group continues to push for the proposal to be shut down for good.
“A casino is not the right answer for our community, nor will it ever be,” the group said.
Sands Eager to Close Out Long Island Commitments
Sands has strong motivation to resolve the situation quickly. The company has already invested $54 million in Nassau County and remains bound by a 40-year lease on the property. It also emphasized its strategy of returning capital to shareholders and focusing on its Macau and Singapore resorts rather than pouring more money into New York.
The community group is now pressuring Blakeman to take back control of the Nassau HUB rather than letting Sands steer its future.
“Why Blakeman gave up his power and handed land control to LVS last summer during lease negotiations baffles us,” the group said. “He needs to wrestle it back. This is taxpayer-owned land, and taxpayers deserve a say in what happens next.”
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