NY Islanders former home, Nassau Coliseum, now run by Sands Las Vegas

Nassau Coliseum in all its glory is no longer under the control of Nassau County. Yesterday, Nassau County Legislators voted to transfer the lease of the long-time home of the NY Islanders to Sands Las Vegas.

Sands will reportedly pay $54M to Nassau County and $241M to current leaseholders Nassau Live Center LLC for the lease, according to Long Island Business News.

Sands plans to build a resort and casino on the 70-acre property, which has stirred up debate among nearby residents and Hofstra University. Located just West of the Coliseum, on Hempstead Turnpike, officials at the university are concerned about potentially putting a casino so close to the school, while residents of surrounding areas, like Garden City, are concerned about an increase in potential crime and traffic.

Still much debate over building a casibn in Nassau County

While the lease will transfer to Sands, the casino is not a foregone conclusion, as they would still need to secure a gaming license from New York State. Sands has said that whether or not they are issued a license, they will be going ahead with building a resort on the property.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity to finally redevelop the Nassau Hub and support new job creation, economic activity, and opportunities for small businesses,” Matt Cohen, president and CEO of the Long Island Association told Dan Winzelberg of Long Island Business News via email. “Long Island should roll out the welcome mat for international companies that want to invest multiple billions of dollars to revitalize our region and be a committed community partner.”

The Islanders played at Nassau Coliseum from 1972-2015, before temporarily moving to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Islanders returned to their rightful home in 2018, splitting games between the Coliseum and Barclays Center, before making it their full-time home once again in 2018-19, after major renovations to the historic site.

The Islanders played their final game at the Coliseum on June 24, 2021, winning Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning - a moment that made the old barn feel like the 80s once again when the Islanders won four consecutive Stanley Cups.