Anyone who has been to a New York Islanders game in the past has heard the commercials over the P.A. system, which players announce their name, and that they are Islanders. Everyone who has been to a game this year also knows the teams slogan, "We're all Islanders". The point of all these campaign is to make us feel proud to be fans, proud of the Islanders heritage, and proud to be Long Islanders.
As Long Islanders, our pride is being tested.
The Nassau Coliseum, a once proud home to champions on the ice, stands in a now almost always empty parking lot in Hempstead. The building, once the home of the greatest American hockey dynasty of all time, now is the laughing stock of the NHL. The team which calls that building its home, along with their building, is a punchline in an NHL which has left those glory days of the 1980's far behind.
Make no mistake, this is not about the New York Islanders.
I'm Jason Blake, and I'm an Islander...
In these tough economic times, people are losing their jobs left and right. Some analysts even predict the losses could add up to 10% unemployment by Autumn if things don't turn around. People on Long Island are among the hardest hit of this economic emergency.
The approved Lighthouse project, first proposed by Charles Wang, would lift Long Island out of this tough economic rift almost immediately. The $4 billion project would create jobs in construction, retail, promotion, and landscaping, just to name a few. The area surrounding the Nassau Colisuem, which now is surrounded most prominantly by a Starbucks and Hofstra University, would be transormed into shops, restaraunts, and a convention center. The economic advantage of the Lighthouse is obvious.
I'm Bill Guerin, and I'm an Islander...
As wonderful a place Long Island is to live, it is a bit slow during the winter. During the summer, when residents and tourists alike are lounging at the beach, much is going on. However, in the winter, our home seems to be in a hibernated state.
With the Lighthouse project, something would almosts always be going on. A renevated Nassau Coliseum would bring in, aside from Islanders hockey, more concerts, and possibly one day, an NCAA Final Four tournament. With the success of the third Presidential debate at Hofstra this year, the new Convention Center could possibly host a Republican or Democratic National Convention for a future Presidential Election. The outdoor ice rinks located near the Coliseum could host high school and college hockey tournaments, and located on the northwest corner of the area would be the home of Nassau Counties first ever minor league baseball tam.
I'm Ryan Smyth, and I'm an Islander...
This isn't about keeping a hockey team on Long Island. It isn't about turning Hempstead into a "city-like area". This is about being Long Islander. It's about lifting Long Island out of the economic crisis that has swept the country. It's about giving Long Islanders a place to call their own.
Tomorrow night, March 26th, the Lighthouse Group will host a special event at the Long Island Marriot in Uniondale. All who want the Lighthouse to go through should come and show your support.
I'm Brian Walsh, and I'm a Long Islander, and I say meet me at the Marriot tomorrow night!
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