“Preparation is key” for Long Island Businesses Aiming to Do Business with the Sands Development Planned for the Nassau Hub
Uniondale, NY (April 20, 2023) – Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce and Sands New York hosted an over-subscribed, in-person Procurement Academy for 300 of Long Island’s small business owners, entrepreneurs, and prospective vendors today at Nassau Community College. The event featured senior vice president and chief procurement officer for Sands Corp, Norbert Riezler, who discussed best practices for businesses hoping to secure contracts with Sands, as well as a resource fair where local chambers and agencies were available to offer guidance on things like MWBE certification and tools available for growing businesses.
The Sands New York Procurement Academy is a critical opportunity for Long Island businesses to capitalize on this once-in-a-lifetime development in our region,” said Frank Camarano Jr., president of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce. “Preparation is key for these small businesses – and we want to ensure that when the project moves forward, none of our local businesses are left out.”
“Our Procurement Academy reflects our commitment to small businesses on Long Island. We believe it is essential that the local economy benefit and grow with the Sands New York development,” said senior vice president and chief procurement officer for Sands Corp, Norbert Riezler. “As we pursue the approval process, we are committed to making sure that local businesses are part of our plans and true partners in this transformational project.”
Following the main program, attendees were invited to industry-specific breakout rooms for food/beverage & operating services, design and construction, technology, and professional services (i.e. benefits, marketing, labor, transportation, etc.). Sands procurement executives in each vertical provided insights and answered questions.
Elizabeth Wellington, Deputy Director of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce said, “I’ve been really impressed with Sands ability to understand the challenges that small businesses face when a big project like theirs comes to town. The Procurement Academy provided a lot of useful tools and resources so that we can hit the ground running when approvals are issued. So far, they have shown us that they mean to deliver on their promises – and I am confident our small business community will profit and grow alongside this development.”
“We are overwhelmed and honored by the level of enthusiasm that the Sands New York proposal has generated from Long Island’s small business community,” said Former New York State Governor and Senior Vice President for Las Vegas Sands David Paterson. “We’ve organized this program so that small businesses – especially those owned by women, minorities and veterans – are informed and prepared for the upcoming opportunities as Sands New York moves forward seeking county, town, and state approvals.”
The Sands’ proposal is for a multi-billion-dollar resort and entertainment center on the site of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The proposal includes outdoor community spaces, four and five-star hotel rooms and a world-class live performance venue honoring the long legacy of live music at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The resort also would feature celebrity chef restaurants, experiential events and venues, and flexible meeting and convention space, with ballrooms. Other planned amenities include high-quality casino gaming, representing less than ten percent of the project’s total square footage; a luxurious day spa; a swimming pool and health club; and a variety of other entertainment programming.
Local chambers and agencies in attendance included the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce, Suffolk County Alliance of Chambers, Farmingdale SBDC, Stony Brook SBDC, Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, Peruvian Chamber of Commerce, African American Chamber of Commerce, County Office of Minority Affairs (OMA), Minority Business Development Agency (MDBA)