I have lived in the Salisbury area of Westbury for 46 years and each year the traffic has gotten worse than the previous year. That said, the idea of a casino at the old Fortunoff building is the worst idea yet for the empty Fortunoff’s store and will greatly affect Nassau residents. Casinos may look like a quick fix for the NYS OTB fiscal bottom line but it will end up costing Nassau county and the residents of Carle Place, Westbury and Garden City more than anyone can imagine—not just in inconvenience but monetarily as well. We will all pay dearly for their decision (made without consulting residents around the site). The reasons were clearly delineated in the Jan. 7 article [“Residents Outraged Over Casino”] and I agree with all the sentiments expressed.
We already can not go from Westbury to Garden City during the holiday season due to the Simon Roosevelt Field Mall buildup where they have first class restaurants and a food court. Roosevelt Field would be less than a mile away from the proposed casino. We will have to increase our security and police presence at the nearby schools and Eisenhower Park.
Crime will no doubt also increase and we will pay that cost as well.
“They” already have made this a ‘hub’ area. “They” should chose another geographic location away from already established residential areas for “their” new creation. There is already a casino in Queens. I would like to know what research has been done to indicate that another casino close by is required by the residents of Long Island.
If indeed a new casino is so necessary, they must consider non-residential areas such as properties around the old Grumman facilities where this casino could be built. OTB should think again about the location if indeed another casino is required, but this time with the residents of Nassau County in mind. We did not ask to become a “hub” and from past failures to further develop this area into a mini city (the Colosseum), the residents of Nassau County have indicated that they don’t want or need more “development”.
-Josephine Borut
