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Nassau Coliseum casino controversy
FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg has details on the allegations.
LONG ISLAND - Hofstra University and its president are now subpoenaed by Nassau County.
They have until Friday afternoon to hand over any communication with Hard Rock Seminole relating to the casino project in Nassau.
Hard Rock is a competitor vying for a license with plans to build a casino just over the border in Queens.
Last Spring, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced plans to partner with Las Vegas Sands to build a casino and resort at the site of the Nassau Coliseum that sits vacant.
A lawsuit filed by Hofstra blocked Sands’ lease agreement. The university that sits adjacent to the proposed project, argued a casino could have a harmful effect on the campus.
An email shared by Blakeman shows an exchange between a lobbyist for Hard Rock and a Hofstra representative Blakeman believes they’ve been coordinating a legal strategy to prevent Nassau from getting one of the three coveted licenses in downstate New York.
"We find it hypocritical that they’re against all the things they said they were against and all the concerns they said they had they weren’t," he said. "They weren’t concerned about the students in Queens, basically they said you can put it over the border a few miles away, and it’s fine."
Hard Rock International denies any communication with Hofstra related to Nassau. In a statement they vow their commitment to integrity, honesty and transparency in the process for a downstate license and will not waver from that position.
A Hofstra spokeswoman says they will plan to respond to the subpoena, calling it another spurious attempt to distract and impede a fair and open process regarding the transfer of Nassau County land.
The Town of Hempstead is holding public hearings for the environmental review of the proposed casino on Thursday at the Marriott in Uniondale.
Hofstra is required to appear before the legislature this coming Monday morning.