Four of Long Island's "largest developers are planning to offer a joint proposal to privately redevelop the 77-acre site surrounding Nassau Coliseum," according to Brodsky & Marshall of NEWSDAY. Polimeni Int'l developer Vincent Polimeni, who is teaming with the Engel Burman Group's Jan Burman, Blumenfeld Development Group's Ed Blumenfeld and Harvest Real Estate Services' Mark Hamer, said that the quartet "plans to craft a plan to revamp the Nassau Hub, regardless of whether" the Islanders stay at the Coliseum. Burman noted that Islanders Owner Charles Wang "has the right of first refusal." Burman said it is a "situation where he really controls the site until 2015," when the team's lease at the arena expires. Blumenfield said, "The Hub with the Islanders and with the Coliseum is a needed thing on Long Island." Polimeni said that the developers' coalition "hasn't drafted anything specific, but any effort would require the Town of Hempstead's support." Nassau County Exec Edward Mangano "will discuss his plans for the Hub at a meeting" with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the next two weeks. Mangano: "The clock is ticking. We are at another crossroads to bring people together to build up the Hub" (NEWSDAY, 2/5). The Association for a Better Long Island issued a statement yesterday endorsing Mangano's "intention to seek new ideas for the site." Voters last year rejected a $400M bond act to renovate the 40-year-old arena (AP, 2/6).
