Multiple Sites being Looked at in Nassau and Suffolk

According to the latest Newsday article the Islanders are still holding hope that they can stay in Long Island proper.

Sources with knowledge of discussions about other potential local sites said the Coliseum's current location is not the only Long Island option. Belmont Racetrack and spots in Suffolk County, including Suffolk Community College's Brentwood campus, are not off the table, they said.

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;jsessionid=EEDA69DBD70B0E3F53355CED164E81BB?site=newsday&view=top_stories_item&feed%3Aa=newsday_1min&feed%3Ac=topstories&feed%3Ai=1.3715942

The question still remains whether or not either county can make a deal happen.  Both are in terrible financial situations, so public money seems unlikely, or at least a large enough amount to make an impact does.  Wang has already said he will not submit an RFP for the current site, which is understandable.  He has already went through the process and knows that a fully private development there will not work because of Kate Murray's zoning.  On a positive note Magano has said that since Wang will not submit an RFP he has stop the process, since his goal is to have the Islanders be part of the future development of the hub.

My question about Belmont is since the casino idea there is dead what is the new plan?  Is Mangano going try to make his sport entertainment destination there with the racetrack, arena, and maybe another attraction like a soccer stadium or minor league baseball stadium?  Even if that is the case the biggest question still remains how is he going to pay for it! 

As I stated in my recent post Suffolk has there own economic woes.  However, I did find it interesting that the Newsday article did bring up the Suffolk Community College site (that I brought up on my last post), since that plot is adjacent to Heartland Town Square Project.  Plus its the site that Wang was ready to move the team to if the Lighthouse RFP wasn't picked in 2006.  Could Wang have something up his sleeve with the head of that development project Gerald Wolkoff and is waiting for it to get off the ground to make his move?  Your guess about that is as good as mine. 

The good news is that we know for sure that Wang is looking at least at three of the possible local sites Nassau, Suffolk, and Brooklyn.  We are still unsure if he is looking at Queens since no word has been reported yet, but I would think its a safe bet he is talking to them as well.  The more local municipalities that Wang is willing to talk to the better off Islanders fans are.