Nassau County officials are "considering a scenario in which a new Nassau Coliseum could be built at Belmont Park, a move that could pair a racetrack, hockey arena and casino into a sports-entertainment center," according to Randi Marshall of NEWSDAY. Hofstra Univ. President Stuart Rabinowitz "raised the possibility Tuesday during a meeting of the Long Island Economic Development Council, of which he is vice chairman." Rabinowitz said that moving the arena to Belmont "would free up the 77 acres of Coliseum land for a potential research and development park, or a mix of other uses." Hempstead Town Board member Ed Ambrosino said that he has "spoken with a 'multinational' company interested in locating its research and development facilities on the Coliseum land." A source close to the Shinnecock Indian Nation said that the tribe "would support the Coliseum within the Belmont Park location, where tribal leaders have been working for months to shore up support after abandoning an earlier plan to locate a casino at the Nassau Hub." Rabinowitz said that Nassau County Exec Edward Mangano "remains interested in finding a plan that could leave the Coliseum at the current site if a parking facility could be built." At Belmont, officials said that the existing parking "could be shared with the raceway -- and would likely be sufficient" (NEWSDAY, 10/5).
