The lease transfer, Hobbs said, was an important step.Īs of last week, they’ve been banned by the Russian government, among 500 people named on a sanction list issued by Russia.

“When the Islanders left, that was a big economic hit to not only the county, but to the surrounding areas.” “When I think about this, I think not just about the casino, but the possibility of a nice hotel and a nice venue for events and concerts - things we are not really getting at the current Coliseum,” Hobbs said. Hobbs said he expects to continue to meet with Sands, especially to make sure the community benefits promised to the village come “upfront” - and that there are “teeth” so the benefits end up where they should. Hobbs, a pastor at Coney Island Cathedral, said he recognizes concerns regarding gambling addiction, but noted that area residents already gamble online and at casinos out of state or at video lottery terminals at Jake’s 58 or Resorts World at Aqueduct. Hobbs also said he sees the potential for Sands to utilize the village’s planned workforce development center for some of the company’s job training and other efforts. “As people are going to the casino, they’ll come to us, as we are a transportation hub … and they’ll get an opportunity to shop in our downtown, visit in our downtown, and spend money here.”Īnd, Hobbs noted, Sands employees could end up living in the village, which has several new housing projects in various stages of development. “When you look at a development like that, with a five-star hotel and an entertainment venue, that also adds a boost to the economy in Hempstead,” Hobbs said. Such a shuttle could be used for hotel and casino guests, too, who might take the Long Island Rail Road or a bus into Hempstead before heading to the resort. That, he noted, would reduce traffic along Hempstead Turnpike and bring additional people into the village. One suggestion he has relayed: allowing employees to park in the village and providing a shuttle to go to and from the resort. Hobbs said he has met with representatives from Sands multiple times in the last few months and has discussed issues including traffic and community benefits. “I’m never automatically against anything,” Hobbs said in an interview. Hobbs told The Point he hadn’t come to a “firm yay or nay” on the casino project itself. A day after the legislature voted 17-1 in favor of the lease transfer, Hobbs spoke to The Point about Sands’ proposal to build a casino resort at the land known as the Nassau Hub.

Casino hotel hobbs