Sands signs Canyon Ranch to put wellness center at proposed Nassau casino site
The Bellefontaine Mansion is part of the Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts. Credit: Canyon Ranch
Las Vegas Sands has signed a deal with Canyon Ranch to build a spa, fitness and food destination at its proposed $4 billion casino and resort at the Nassau Coliseum site, the company is set to announce Thursday.
The wellness facility would be “a major draw” and would help “build Long Island into a global tourism destination that creates a lift for the community’s entire hospitality industry,” Robert G. Goldstein, chairman and chief executive at Sands, said in a statement.
Sands has been waging a vigorous public campaign for support in its bid for a gaming license.
Founded in 1979, Canyon Ranch offers spa, fitness and wellness as well as cuisine focusing on local and seasonal foods. Sands and Canyon Ranch developed the spa and fitness facility at Sands’ former property, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.
Canyon Ranch, which also has locations in Lenox, Massachusetts., Tucson, Arizona, and Woodside, California, offers “a complete well-being experience where guests can refresh their bodies and minds,” Canyon Ranch CEO Jeff Kuster said in a statement.
At its Lenox facility in the Berkshire mountains, visitors can stay overnight at rates starting at about $1,000 a night, or they can purchase a $350 day pass that includes a 50-minute facial or massage, lunch, fitness and meditation classes, wellness presentations and use of the pool, fitness studio and other amenities.
The proposed development on the 72-acre, county-owned Coliseum property in Uniondale, known as the Nassau Hub, would be “not just a casino,” Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs at Sands. “We develop what we call in our business ‘integrated resorts.’”
In addition to a casino with Vegas-style table games and the Canyon Ranch facility, the proposed development also would include a luxury hotel, conference center, ballrooms, celebrity-chef restaurants, retail and community space.
The Sands proposal has received the support of some local residents, who say they would welcome what Sands projects would be 5,000 to 8,000 jobs at the site. Other residents have opposed it, citing concerns about increased traffic and environmental impacts as well as the potential social ills associated with gambling.
Sands’ proposal is dependent on winning a highly competitive gaming license from the state. The company is among a dozen casino-resort developers vying for the three licenses that are up for grabs in the downstate region.
Sands would need to apply for a land use permit in the Town of Hempstead, where a 10-step environmental review would be required before the project can move forward.
Additionally, a five-member local community advisory committee must approve Sands’ application for a gaming license before it would advance to the state gaming commission. A state gaming license allows commercial casino operators to offer video betting, slot machines and traditional table games such as poker and blackjack.
With Candice Ferrette
Maura McDermott covers health care and other business news on Long Island.
