Is it alive? Wang says yes.
A statement was issued by Islanders team owner Charles Wang at 11:30 today responding to a story the Press broke on Oct. 13 saying his ambitious Lighthouse Project has been internally abandoned.
“Yesterday’s report on the Lighthouse project which appeared in the Long Island Press is untrue. There are no plans to abandon this project which is so vital to the future of Nassau County and Long Island as a whole. As far as the status of the Lighthouse project, we have submitted to The Town of Hempstead and Supervisor Kate Murray all the studies and required documents,” said the statement.
Wang once again said that he will not negotiate the deal in the press, instead saying that it is time for Murray and the Town Board to pull the trigger—or see the project go away. Wang had announced a self-imposed deadline for an answer of Oct. 3, the opening day of the Islanders’ 2009-2010 season.
“A lease has been negotiated. Supervisor Murray and the Town Board need to make a decision on the zoning. Long Island stands in this defining moment waiting for an answer. Yes or no. Moving forward, we will not discuss any meetings in the media. Any reports of meetings should be considered untrue,” said Wang.
“My heart is still on Long Island. I love Long Island. This is where the Islanders belong. Let’s play hockey,” the statement concluded.
Parts of the statement were run in an online story posted by Newsday before the public release.
Hempstead Town officials say that they have not received any notification from the developers indicating they wish to withdraw their application either, says town spokesman Michael Deery.