Garden City residents on the Environmental Advisory Board have been urging residents to become involved in monitoring the Hub plans, which they feel will directly impact the future of the Village in terms of traffic and the economy of the downtown shopping district. Recent hearings were held on the future of the Hub, but few residents from Garden City attended. Letter campaigns have been urged to help gain the support of politicians, and to make this a prominent issue in upcoming Congressional and local elections.

The Environmental Advisory Board has issued statements such as, the "Draft Comprehensive Plan for Nassau County has to be finalized by Dec. 31 and includes several recommendations that will have long-term and far-reaching impacts on the quality of life and property values of Garden City residents" (which have been published in press releases in Garden City Life). The Environmental Advisory Board has also stated, "[Recommendations for the Hub] could severely hinder Village efforts to revitalize the Franklin Avenue commercial district and thereby cause increases in property taxes. Suggestions have been made that the LIRR and Amtrak run trains through Garden City to connect with a proposed 'people mover' and to provide a passenger connection to the sports complex at Mitchel Field."

Recent statements made by the New York Islanders' owners and members of the Nassau Veterans' Memorial Coliseum Privitization Committee seem to lend credence to the Environmental Advisory Board's concerns that these plans are moving forward and have County and Town support. Mort Certilman of the Coliseum Privatization Committee, told another Anton Newspaper, The Westbury Times, that negotiations between the County and the owners of the Islanders for development of the land upon which the coliseum now stands is moving along slowly, but said that, "...I can tell you that we have come very, very close to agreements on the development of the 70 acres surrounding the coliseum, from a zoning point of view." Certilman added, "We've shown preliminary plans to the Town of Hempstead, and right now, we are awaiting final proposals from New York Sports Ventures."

When the New York Sports Venture purchased the New York Islanders for $195 million six months ago, they announced that they'd need a new facility for the team. According to Howard Milstein and partner Steven Gluckstern, both of the New York Sports Venture, a larger coliseum is necessary for ideal financial success. Nassau County planners have been discussing the building of a new sports facility with the owners, as well as an entire shopping, housing, and business area in the vicinity of the coliseum. A new hotel, to compete with The Garden City Hotel, which to be built on Stewart Avenue outside of the Incorporated Village is also being proposed by the Albanese Development Corporation.

The owners of the Islanders and the County have also discussed possible "mean-time" enhancements to the existing coliseum, including the installation of a $2 million scoreboard during their negotiations with the team's new owners, but these interim "improvements" do not rule out the plans for a new coliseum.

The coliseum currently can seat about 16,500 spectators. Owner Milstein has been reported as having said that he'd like to have a brand new coliseum built adjacent to where the current memorial coliseum stands, which would hold approximately 18,000 seats. Reportedly, current discussions for the new coliseum are for a facility with even more than the 18,000 figure. In fact, the development of the 70 acres surrounding the coliseum is approaching the zoning stage of considerations.

Mort Certilman, who spoke to The Westbury Times said that they, "have every intention to have [a new coliseum] built by the end of 2001. If it is not, it won't be the County's fault."

Before anything is solidified, County officials assure that these plans will be run by the general public. When money was allocated for Hub development by Congresswoman McCarthy, she assured Garden City Life in a telephone interview that this allocation of funds did not mean that the money had to go to the Hub, and that the concerns of the people would be heard before any money was committed to the project. The land upon which the coliseum sits and the surrounding 70 acres is publicly owned land. Residents of Garden City have been urged by their community activist leaders to speak out on the subject of their land and the development thereof.

While the Islanders contribute approximately $85 to $95 million into the Long Island economy, according to its owners, the residents and merchants of Garden City work hard to support the County through their taxes as well. Residents can exercise their rights to express their concerns over the development plans and their possible impact on the environment of surrounding communities as well as the economic impact on communities working toward revitalization of their downtown business areas.

The future of the coliseum is still described as up in the air, as well as the overall plans for Central Nassau. Residents are once again urged by SAFE and the Environmental Advisory Board to immediately contact the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County Executive Thomas Gulotta, legislators, Congresswoman McCarthy, and the Village mayor and trustees to enlist their support of Garden City's efforts to voice their concerns about the possible effect these plans will have on the lives of Village residents.

Now the question remains, will Garden City residents unite and turn out in force to have their concerns heard and will the Village government lend its support and help lead the effort?

To write or call local representatives:

Paul F. Ponessa

Director NC Planning Commission

400 County Seat Drive

Mineola, NY 11501

571-5844

Thomas S. Gulotta

County Executive

One West Street

Mineola, NY 11501

571-3192

Richard V. Guardino, Jr.

Town Supervisor

Town Hall Plaza

1 Washington Street

Hempstead, NY 11550

489-5000

Governor George Pataki

Executive Chamber

Albany, NY 12224

518-474-8390

Bruce Blakeman

Presiding NC Legislator

1 West Street

Mineola, NY 11501

571-6207

Vincent Muscarella

NC Legislature

1 West Street

Mineola, NY 11501

328-1188

Congresswoman McCarthy

1 Fulton Avenue

Hempstead, NY 11556

489-7066

Assemblywoman O'Connell

1600 Stewart Ave., Suite 315

Westbury, NY 11590

222-0007

Dean Skelos

State Senate Majority Leader

55 Front Street

Rockville Centre, NY 11570

766-8383

US Senator D'Amato

7 Penn Plaza, Suite 600

NY, NY 10001

212-947-7390

State Senator Hannon

1600 Stewart Avenue

Westbury, NY 11590

Mayor Frank Tauches

and Trustees

351 Stewart Avenue

Garden City, NY 11530

742-5800