The Lighthouse situation remains unresolved as of now, with County Executive Tom Suozzi having signed a contract with Charles Wang that would keep the Islanders at the Coliseum through 2030. However, the lease is contingent on the project receiving zoning approval from the Town of Hempstead, and would also have to be approved by the county legislature.

As of press time, it was unclear whether the lease covered the items which Town Supervisor Kate Murray had wanted to see in it. Among other things, the town wanted assurances that the developers wouldn’t try to get tax abatements and would not sell the development rights to others without approval. It appears that, in fact, the Lighthouse Group would be allowed to buy parts of the property and then re-sell them at will.

At the same time as this lease agreement was signed, Charles Wang also indicated to the media that he would hold the town to his October 3rd deadline, at which point he will start looking for somewhere else to take his team. He also said he is not interested in any compromise offers by the Town that could reduce the project’s size.

So, it should be an interesting few weeks. With Election Day a month away and both Suozzi and Murray up for re-election, the stakes are high.

Meg Morgan Norris

Publisher