Just for kicks, I'm gonna bring back the thread of Petition to Move Isles to Queens. Hopefully we'll get some more signatures, beef it up and I'll send it to the Queens Borough president's office. The guy from the Daily News that did the story on the petition said he'd do another story if it gets sent to H Marshall's office as I spoke to him.
Send it to the Queens Borough President's Office!?!?!?! Bert - I thought you had your stuff together. Queens would take the Islanders in a hot second.
YOU NEED TO CREATE A PETITION AND SEND IT TO WANG, who refuses to talk to Queens - Not the other way around.
According to kyper and a bunch of other people on twitter Seattle is set to announce a new arena tomorrow.. Ugh..
(I'm on my phone can't copy it over but if someone can link something feel free)
To further this up.. The Seattle Metropolitans were the first US based team with the Stanley cup... Will the new Seattle Mets be as cursed as the New York team?
Send it to the Queens Borough President's Office!?!?!?! Bert - I thought you had your stuff together. Queens would take the Islanders in a hot second.
YOU NEED TO CREATE A PETITION AND SEND IT TO WANG, who refuses to talk to Queens - Not the other way around.
Relax dude, you should know better. It was sent to Wang months ago when the petition had almost 400 signatures in 4 days.
Nick Hirshon of the Daily News speaks to the Queens Borough President's Office occasionally and he suggested sending it to her to show her the people's interest. She told him she's interested in having NYI move to Queens but doesn't just want to be used as leverage only and will only talk to Wang if the talks are serious.
Remember, Wang didn't approach Brooklyn about the pre-season game, Brooklyn approached him. Wang likes people to woo him and when Botta wrote he'd listen to any municipalities the implied onus/emphasis was on the municipality reaching out to Wang not vice versa. (I took Nick's advice as he's dealt with Wang and Marshall.) If this is the push she needs then ya never know what might happen. At least she'll know people are interested in having NYI in her borough.
We have had our differences about qns/nassau/bklyn, but man I couldnt be more on your side right now. **** these guys. We gotta do everything we can to keep the Isles local. Queens, Broolyn or wherever. I am tired of this **** with nassau County. They all suck. Lets kick some ass!!!!
I hear ya and remember our "chats". Nice to see you left the dark side. Seriously, you're right and I wrote the same thing on the main board as it's not about a site preference now it's about surviving locally. Queens/Brooklyn is better than Seattle/Quebec as Nassau seems to have let everyone down.
Right now, there is a sense of urgency to be sure, but no need to panic.
Those fans who think the Brooklyn preseason game is not important in keeping the Islanders within driving distance is kidding themselves.
For all the talk of Suffolk and some Nassau fans concerned about getting into Brooklyn or Queens — is that not a better option then hoping a flight to Seattle, Quebec, Hamilton, Vegas or Kansas City? Isn't the goal to keep the team in the area the priority?
Brooklyn would be my second choice over Queens.
Nassau County is really no longer an option, and if I am the owner of the New York Islanders after being slapped in the face by Nassau voters and by the Town of Hempstead — and all of the political half brains in Nassau — I am more or less publicaly shopping the team to other municipalities. Nassau County does not deserve the Islanders, and clearly, neither it, or the Town of Hempstead want the Islanders. So far the entire onus here has been on the Islanders to produce something, while Nassau and Hempstead have really offered nothing. All the while, both Queens and Brooklyn are showing that they want the team.
As for Brooklyn — if you want to be able to get to games locally, I highly recommend we as fans do everything we can to fill Barclays to the rafters for that preseason game. THAT more than anything else will be the loudest communication to Charles Wang that should move to Brooklyn, the fans will be there. If there are 1,000 people at that game, it communicates that Brooklyn will not be viable.
I know some argue Brooklyn won't be viable because of capacity issues, but that is very SMALL thinking over what is at stake here. Does it really affect you, the fan, if there are 14,500 vs 16,234? Let that be the owners issue. The impact to you is a ticket price, but at the same time, I am willing to go to Brooklyn vs another city.
A new building in Queens would be great. I would not mind western Suffolk — but Suffolk has made very light, very casual talk and nothing substantive on an arena for the team. Of course, a new County Exec in Steve Bellone could sweep in and make his case. I hope he does.
My goal is to keep the franchise local — anywhere on the physical Island is fine with me over another city and THAT should be our priority. $crew Nassau County and its stupidity. Enough!
All things have their significance and I dont think anyone should take brooklyn lightly at all. However to say that nassau is "no longer an option" is taking that a little too lightly..
None of us know what Wang is thinking for sure, but you have think that all options are on the table. It is just good business sense.
"It's not personal Sonny, it's strictly business" TGF
And yes, from a transportation standpoint, Brooklyn is favorable to Seattle. However, IMHO and from what i have seen so far, from a sustainable profitability standpoint, I dont think that Brooklyn presents a viable alternative. However, if they move there (and I hope they dont) I do hope i have to eat those words.
Last edited by 19 in a row: 02-16-2012 at 11:18 AM.
Nassau County is really no longer an option, and if I am the owner of the New York Islanders after being slapped in the face by Nassau voters and by the Town of Hempstead — and all of the political half brains in Nassau — I am more or less publicaly shopping the team to other municipalities. Nassau County does not deserve the Islanders, and clearly, neither it, or the Town of Hempstead want the Islanders. So far the entire onus here has been on the Islanders to produce something, while Nassau and Hempstead have really offered nothing. All the while, both Queens and Brooklyn are showing that they want the team.
Whether the Islanders wind up in Nassau, Brooklyn, Queens, Cantiague Park, Hot Skates... I don't really care, as long as they are in NY.
With that said, business of this magnitude is not done out of spite. Business tied to politics -- on Long Island, no less -- does not fall into place with a few empty meetings and hollow threats. This is as much a political/economic issue for the County as it is a hockey issue for fans. I am fully expecting this speculation to go on for another 12-18 months before anything of substance is revealed.
For Wang, publicly shopping the Islanders to other local municipalities is just revealing his entire hand before it's necessary. Maybe it's necessary for fans to put our mind at ease, but it's a bad idea for Wang. What happens if he preemptively goes public with his desire to take the Isles to NYC and the other options fall through? All you've done then is cast a darker cloud over the franchise and put yourself at Nassau's mercy for longer.
All things have their significance and I dont think anyone should take brooklyn lightly at all. However to say that nassau is "no longer an option" is taking that a little too lightly..
None of us know what Wang is thinking for sure, but you have think that all options are on the table. It is just good business sense.
"It's not personal Sonny, it's strictly business" TGF
And yes, from a transportation standpoint, Brooklyn is favorable to Seattle. However, IMHO and from what i have seen so far, from a sustainable profitability standpoint, I dont think that Brooklyn presents a viable alternative. However, if they move there (and I hope they dont) I do hope i have to eat those words.
I think Nassau is only an option because of Wang's stubbornness but I also think that that stubbornness may be grounded in fantasy land at this point.
Based on the hearing this week and the Newsday article stating that Mangano will listen to another development plan by Wang I think that Wang is still insisting that the only starting point for the Islanders staying is control over the HUB development.
But in this regard nothing has changed. At the end of the day the TOH has final say. And even if Wang does come up with another plan it seems logical that it is sure to get bogged down by the same politics. (Other developers will sue saying the project was not open, a new environmental study, new NIMBY and of course the TOH zoning)
My biggest fear is not the team moving, I am afraid that at the last minute the county will agree to start the process of permitting Wang's plan which will take years to wind its way through the politics, meanwhile Wang will keep the team at the cap floor (or below) until his real estate aspirations are final. So come 2018 nothing will have changed.
For Wang, publicly shopping the Islanders to other local municipalities is just revealing his entire hand before it's necessary. Maybe it's necessary for fans to put our mind at ease, but it's a bad idea for Wang. What happens if he preemptively goes public with his desire to take the Isles to NYC and the other options fall through? All you've done then is cast a darker cloud over the franchise and put yourself at Nassau's mercy for longer.
I think Wang has played this well. Only an idiot (not you) would not realize that he is looking at options outside of Nassau. Now that Picker has stated as much, to me , it just finally exerts pressure on the clowns in Nassau and makes them realize that the end game is near. For the longest time, Wang's inner circle would not even admit to exploration of options outside of Nassau. And how long should he wait? If an arena needs to be built, a decision needs to be made in the next few months. Even a deal in Brooklyn should ideally be made in the next few months so that Ratner doesn't think that he is the only game in town. If Wang waits til 2013/2014 to go to Ratner, he will not get the best deal.
I think Wang has played this well. Only an idiot (not you) would not realize that he is looking at options outside of Nassau. Now that Picker has stated as much, to me , it just finally exerts pressure on the clowns in Nassau and makes them realize that the end game is near. For the longest time, Wang's inner circle would not even admit to exploration of options outside of Nassau. And how long should he wait? If an arena needs to be built, a decision needs to be made in the next few months. Even a deal in Brooklyn should ideally be made in the next few months so that Ratner doesn't think that he is the only game in town. If Wang waits til 2013/2014 to go to Ratner, he will not get the best deal.
The deal with Ratner could be as simple as Wang asking Ratner...
I am going to put in one last effort to develop in Nassau but if it doesn't work out would you be interested in the team?
I think Nassau is only an option because of Wang's stubbornness but I also think that that stubbornness may be grounded in fantasy land at this point.
Based on the hearing this week and the Newsday article stating that Mangano will listen to another development plan by Wang I think that Wang is still insisting that the only starting point for the Islanders staying is control over the HUB development.
But in this regard nothing has changed. At the end of the day the TOH has final say. And even if Wang does come up with another plan it seems logical that it is sure to get bogged down by the same politics. (Other developers will sue saying the project was not open, a new environmental study, new NIMBY and of course the TOH zoning)
My biggest fear is not the team moving, I am afraid that at the last minute the county will agree to start the process of permitting Wang's plan which will take years to wind its way through the politics, meanwhile Wang will keep the team at the cap floor (or below) until his real estate aspirations are final. So come 2018 nothing will have changed.
Let's hope that does not happen and by 2015 the Isles have moved out of Nassau.
Just to add my two cents here about Wang coming up with another proposal, I would not be surprised if a smaller hybrid version of the Lighthouse Project and the Old Plainview project are what ultimately gets approval here in the next 9 months.
Whether the Islanders wind up in Nassau, Brooklyn, Queens, Cantiague Park, Hot Skates... I don't really care, as long as they are in NY.
With that said, business of this magnitude is not done out of spite. Business tied to politics -- on Long Island, no less -- does not fall into place with a few empty meetings and hollow threats. This is as much a political/economic issue for the County as it is a hockey issue for fans. I am fully expecting this speculation to go on for another 12-18 months before anything of substance is revealed.
Picker (and K Law) said in Tuesday's meeting that a decision HAS to be made by late this year 2012 and no longer. They were adamant on that.
Picker (and K Law) said in Tuesday's meeting that a decision HAS to be made by late this year 2012 and no longer. They were adamant on that.
That's all well and good. But unless they come out and declare 12/31/12 a drop-dead date for the Isles in Nassau, it doesn't amount to much. What happens if a decision isn't made?
My guess is the same thing that happened after 8/1/11. More uncertainty, more threats, more posturing, more meetings.
Actually I heard Picker wanted a deadline BEFORE the end of 2012.
Yes he did say that but "in a ham handed way" he went on to say that this would be only phase one.
This is a bit of a sleight of hand on Wang's part and one that even Nassau will probably see through.
Wang saying we need to get the Arena up now lets worry about the rest later.
Which really means if an arena goes up Wang expects to continue to hold the rights to the HUB.
To me this is like being down to your last few chips so you might as well go all in right away and hope everybody folds early or you luck into a hand on the turn or the river.
We have to keep in mind that any comments from the involved parties may be posturing. We can disect them all we want or interpret one way or the other.. the clock is obviously ticking but until I see action I won't get my hopes up too high or too low for anything.. maybe worry about it more once the season is done (hopefully in June, ok very hopefully)
That's all well and good. But unless they come out and declare 12/31/12 a drop-dead date for the Isles in Nassau, it doesn't amount to much. What happens if a decision isn't made?
My guess is the same thing that happened after 8/1/11. More uncertainty, more threats, more posturing, more meetings.
Picker basically said as much.
Hopefully Wang wises up and finally plans to bolt if a decision isn't made. This crap can't go on forever. One or both parties has to sheet or get off the pot already.
Meantime, NYI continues to suck with a cap floor payroll until anything here is resolved.
Yes he did say that but "in a ham handed way" he went on to say that this would be only phase one.
This is a bit of a sleight of hand on Wang's part and one that even Nassau will probably see through.
Wang saying we need to get the Arena up now lets worry about the rest later.
Which really means if an arena goes up Wang expects to continue to hold the rights to the HUB.
To me this is like being down to your last few chips so you might as well go all in right away and hope everybody folds early or you luck into a hand on the turn or the river.
What do you think are the chances that TOH will expand the zoning to make a privately funded arena worthwhile? I also think that the Mets legal problems are delaying a Queens arena from being constructed even though that will likely happen through revenue bonds. I wonder if Nassau County will kick the Islanders out before 2015 if a new arena deal is announced elsewhere.
What do you think are the chances that TOH will expand the zoning to make a privately funded arena worthwhile? I also think that the Mets legal problems are delaying a Queens arena from being constructed even though that will likely happen through revenue bonds. I wonder if Nassau County will kick the Islanders out before 2015 if a new arena deal is announced elsewhere.
Well here is one of the telling things. The TOH was not even at this weeks hearing. Nassau can meet all they want the TOH will decide what happens at the HUB.
I think that nobody has moved off of their original positions.
Wang wants the HUB or nothing
The TOH will stick to their zoning regs
Nassau will take the path of least resistance and highest political payout.
If there is financial gain for the Mets by the Islanders being there then I think NYC will be more than willing to help out via bonds.
Francesa: "Brooklyn arena can be 'amended' to accommodate hockey"
Mods, please merge if a thread already exists for this - I assume there are 34983 arena-related threads, including the one on Nassau a few down.
I hadn't heard this, but just heard Mike say it on the show. Is this true? All reports I've seen and heard have led me to believe that the Nets' new arena just simply isn't conducive to hockey.
I know the plan is to play a preseason game there...but can anyone confirm that it has indeed been stated that the Brooklyn arena could be tweaked to accommodate a hockey team?
Even if it could be...wouldn't we be talking about an MTS Centre-like capacity, <14k? And who renovates an arena that has been standing for all of two years?
(please save the "Francesa doesn't know **** about hockey" comments...we all know that.... but this isn't about the sport, this is about the arena, and the comment happened to come on his show)
Seriously, you're right and I wrote the same thing on the main board as it's not about a site preference now it's about surviving locally. Queens/Brooklyn is better than Seattle/Quebec as Nassau seems to have let everyone down.
