Nassau County is currently seeking federal funds (close to half a million dollars) for a Major Investment Study (MIS) for the area of Nassau County termed the HUB. According to an explanation of this process by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, "...the Plan identifies needs for the transit and highway systems that are already included in the operators' capital needs documents and capital plans. The MIS projects are the next step in addressing those needs."

Critics of the county have argued that if pursuit of a MIS indicates that there is recognition that the county's plans will create a serious traffic congestion problem in central Nassau, then perhaps they should reconsider the plans. Others have argued that since the MIS process must be public, then it seems only reasonable that the county work harder to make the complete picture of HUB plans known to the public. Also, many have pointed to the fact that the county will be developing public land with taxpayer dollars of every resident within the county, without fully disclosing their plans nor completely taking into account the overall impact of this development alongside private development will have on the area.

In the December 1998 Nassau County Comprehesive Master Plan, the county stated, "Nassau Hub, as defined in the Nassau Hub study, is the area bounded by Old Country Road, Hempstead Turnpike, Clinton Road, and Merrick Avenue. The High Range of Development Intensity depicted on the Comprehensive Plan Map does not necessarily coincide with these Hub boundaries." It is also noted that this is the only "Regional Center" planned for Nassau County. The argument was made that, "There is potential for traffic and pedestrian improvements, as well as more development in the Nassau Hub, including proposed plans for entertainment, cultural and recreational activities as well as housing."

Some of the uses proposed, such as houses, hotels, and even office buildings are high water users, seriously impacting the natural resources of the county in the area. The county argued in the Master Plan that "Nassau County is underlain by consolidated bedrock above which is a wedge of gravel, sand, silt and clay sediments that store ground water and form a complex system of three aquifers: Upper Glacial, Magothy and Lloyd aquifers. As ground water is withdrawn for water supply, new water (primarily from precipitation) continuously recharges the aquifers. Water flow into the county's ground water system exceeds water supply projections on a county-wide basis ... However, this study also indicates that the ground water system is complex and there are specific areas where withdrawal of ground water for water supply has caused localized environmental impacts, such as: saltwater intrusion, contaminants and loss of stream flow."

Also recommended in the Master Plan was, "The county should evaluate the effectiveness of alternative transit services within the Hub area, including a fixed-guideway transit system." This proposal has come to be known as the monorail amongst critics of the plan. This among other transportation suggestions, including the Hub shuttle and "linkages between land uses" will apparently be part of the MIS if the county receives the federal funding for the study. Some have argued that more information needs to be presented to the public examining all of the possibilities before the county spends federal funds to study a narrow approach to the Hub. Also it has been argued, particularly at the recent hearing on the MIS, that the county has not taken the time to look at "the big picture" of traffic in the county and the entire Hub, including private development planned, and before any county tax revenue is used to fund development or traffic initiatives, the public needs to be engaged.

While the county is looking to build a new coliseum on public land, as well as Museum Row and other initiatives, there are plans before the Town of Hempstead, which has been encouraged through the Master Plan to approve all of the development in accordance with the Planned Unit Development District previously established in the Roosevelt Raceway area. (There was a Master Plan within the Town for development, but the developers have shifted some of the construction plans and are requesting an amendment to the plan from the town to allow them to do so, but the overall plans are within zoning regulations and in accordance with the plan.)

Private developers have submitted new plans to the town for the southwest quadrant of the Raceway, between Dibble Drive, Zeckendorf Boulevard, Raceway Drive, and Meadowbrook State Parkway for massive development of the area. Proposed are three large hotels. One would be five stories and 73,000 square feet, the second three stories and 70,000 square feet, and the third seven stories and 170,000 square feet. There are plans for a 48,000 square foot, three story credit union and a 10,000 square foot restaurant. There are two office buildings depicted in the plans each at four stories and 136,000 square feet. A senior housing facility is proposed at 90,000 square feet. Free standing rest rooms and a softball field with parklands of 3.889 acres is proposed. The rest of the property would feature housing. There would be 450 units on 22.2 acres. With most homes now being at least two car families, this would mean at least 900 more cars to the area just for the homes alone, without counting trips to the offices, hotels and other facilities. The water demand in the area has also been a source of great concern among critics.

While the newly formed Nassau Hub Citizens Advisory Committee members have all been very clear in stating, "We don't argue with the right of developers to develop their land" they have urged that this be done "in an ordered and logical fashion with consideration to the quality of life issues of every resident of this county." Members also noted, "If the county develops its public land, which belongs to every taxpayer in this county, and private developers build on the Raceway as much as the proposals indicate, central Nassau, already a traffic nightmare without the new development, will become impossible." One critic from the Carle Place Chamber of Commerce noted, "I just can't envision this. It's too big and no one living in this county really wants it."

When all of the factors involved in the Hub are considered together, including significant traffic congestion throughout Long Island, then many have argued that the county should be investigating alternatives to the Hub, such as investing funds in revitalizing already exisiting areas of high intensity. The Village of Hempstead's Chamber of Commerce has repeatedly noted that their village already has the facilities and the infrastructure to support HUB plans and would bring jobs to an already existing community, flowing commerce through already present county taxpayers. Edna Johnson of the League of Women Voters, Hempstead Center questioned the county's definition of the core of the county and how the county plans to fund their proposals when it is facing a serious deficit and tax crisis at the hearing.

Peter Quinn of the Long Island Coalition for Democracy contended, "This demonstrated provincial arrogance. For the county to plan all of this development of public land and to request federal funds (also taxpayer money) to look at accommodating transportation to their new coliseum and the mall instead of supporting countywide traffic studies [or Islandwide studies already funded by a MIS like LITP 2000] is ill advised. The county should work with Suffolk County to pool its resources to look at north/south arteries and east/west arteries and better connections throughout the Island. All of these proposals from the county are looking to draw traffic from west to east, but don't account for existing traffic and traffic coming from out east." Quinn also argued, "The only way the monorail will succeed is if the rides are free and who'll subsidize that? Taxpayers or the merchants who will then raise prices and become uncompetitive? It just won't work. Who'll pay for it in the first place? Everyone in this county. E-commerce is making strip malls less necessary anyway. This whole thing is ridiculous. Scrap the plans."