The president of Hofstra College is urging Lengthy Island lawmakers to nix a plan for Las Vegas Sands Corp. to place a on line casino on the Nassau Coliseum close to its campus — claiming it’ll be extra bother than it’s price.
“The on line casino proposed by Las Vegas Sands runs straight counter to the pursuits of our native inhabitants and can create risks moderately than advantages,” Hofstra chief Susan Poser mentioned in draft testimony obtained by The Put up.
In her stinging 13-page testimony to be introduced to Nassau County lawmakers voting on the plan Monday, Poser mentioned a on line casino on Hempstead Turnpike on the Nassau Hub in Uniondale will set off intractable issues whereas draining enterprise from native retailers and hurting deprived minority communities.
She additionally questioned the integrity of Las Vegas Sands, which has shifted its focus abroad in Asia and is attempting to revive a presence within the US.
Hofstra, which opened in 1935, is the principle non-public faculty on Lengthy Island.
“The Nassau Hub just isn’t an acceptable place to website a on line casino improvement for a number of causes,” she mentioned. “As a result of it will create severe risks and dangerous circumstances for our neighborhood – together with playing habit, crime, site visitors congestion, and air pollution – I urge the Legislature to vote in opposition to the proposed grant of this lease to Las Vegas Sands,” she mentioned.
She additionally blasted Las Vegas Sands as being “motivated by short-term revenue” to its shareholders moderately than the pursuits of Lengthy Islanders.
“To Las Vegas Sands, we’re simply one other guess positioned on a playing desk,” Poser mentioned. “Excessive wins per unit from a on line casino means excessive losses for many who go to the on line casino to gamble, nearly all of whom will likely be repeat gamers from Nassau County.”
Poser referred to as out the Sands’ exit from the US market — even promoting its Las Vegas casinos to concentrate on its belongings in Asia — and that it’s now attempting to rebound within the US.
“The realm surrounding the Nassau Hub is densely populated by a scholar inhabitants, and a number of research show that college students are notably prone to playing habit,” she mentioned. “I seek advice from the over 32,000 mixed college students attending Hofstra College, Nassau Group School, and Kellenberg Memorial Excessive College, that are all actually throughout the road from the Nassau Hub. If one ventures a couple of blocks farther, there are extra preschool, major, and secondary colleges, finally reaching virtually 60,000 college students inside a 6‐mile radius.” .
Poser continued, “Nassau County shouldn’t situate a playing heart in a location brimming with younger people who find themselves particularly predisposed to such dangerous conduct. As an expert educator, I entreat you to weigh the dangers to our youth posed by inserting a on line casino within the coronary heart of a neighborhood college neighborhood and close to many different colleges with college students starting from preschool via highschool.”
She additionally famous the proposed on line casino, if accepted by state regulators, could be positioned close to Uniondale, Hempstead and Roosevelt — predominantly minority and decrease revenue neighborhoods.
And citing research, Poser mentioned casinos entice crime and unlawful medicine — and even talked about a leap in lawbreaking exterior Jakes’s 58 slots parlor in Islandia in Suffolk County.
But there’s no evaluation on what the on line casino’s influence on site visitors alongside already congested Hempstead Turnpike in addition to the water provide, she argued, additionally questioning the long-term financial advantages of a on line casino.
Based on Poser, different makes use of are preferable, like a know-how and life sciences hub that may companion with Hofstra and Nassau Group School.
“In regard to casinos, proof from the expertise of others reveals that, whereas there could be some brief‐time period financial features, the advantages are outweighed in the long term in an space like Lengthy Island the place casinos will shift income from present companies serving our neighborhood,” mentioned Poser.
She additionally argued most gamblers heading there could be from close by Lengthy Island communities.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman final month endorsed the Sands plan for the Nassau Coliseum website. The county owns the property round Nassau Coliseum, and he introduced a 99-year lease with Sands.
On Sunday, he pushed again at Poser’s criticism.
“Hofstra is definitely entitled to have their say however to say crime will likely be an issue is solely not true,” he mentioned in a press release to the Put up. “The Nassau County Police may have enhanced patrols paid for by the Sands and over 200 non-public safety guards will likely be employed. It is a luxurious leisure website not a Nineteen Seventies period on line casino on the strip.”
Sands says it has personal listing of organizations that again the Nassau on line casino.
Requested about Hofstra’s criticism, Sands countered Sunday with its personal listing of organizations that again the Nassau on line casino.
“As this course of strikes ahead, we’re very gratified to have acquired nice help from organizations within the surrounding communities and all through Lengthy Island together with Nassau Group School, Lengthy Island College, NAACP New York State Convention, leaders in organized labor, native and regional chambers of Commerce together with Uniondale Chamber of Commerce, Lengthy Island African American and Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, quite a few not for revenue organizations, small companies and plenty of others,” a Sands spokesman mentioned.
The Sands plan is a roll of the cube even with out opposition.
State regulators must award the Las Vegas Sands a license to function, even, as anticipated, the Republican-controlled Nassau County legislature offers its blessing to the switch of property to Sands.
The state is predicted to approve three on line casino licenses, with a bulk of income from licensing charges and revenues going to prop up the financing of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Opposition is constructing elsewhere in opposition to casinos, nonetheless. Brooklyn’s Group Board 13 not too long ago accepted a non-binding decision against locating a casino alongside the Coney Island Island boardwalk. Many Manhattanites additionally don’t desire a on line casino in or round their neighborhoods.
Different gaming operators are vying for considered one of three downstate on line casino licenses.
Gaming large Bally’s is betting on The Bronx — proposing a on line casino on the Trump Group’s public golf course at Ferry Level.
The house owners of the existing slots parlors on the Aqueduct race observe in Ozone Park, Queens, and Yonkers race observe — Genting/ Resorts World and MGM’s Empire Metropolis — are anticipated to submit bids to broaden their choices to incorporate desk video games.
In the meantime, Mets owner Cohen is eyeing a on line casino close to the staff’s stadium in Flushing, probably partnering with Seminole Hard Rock. A 25,000-seat skilled soccer stadium can be deliberate within the neighborhood.
Others planning bids to function a on line casino embody the Steve Ross-Associated Firms/Wynn Resorts partnership for Hudson Yards, the owner SL Inexperienced/Caesars Leisure staff in Times Square.
