Las Vegas Sands faces a significant setback in its plans to construct a new resort and gambling complex in the United States, with the New York State Supreme Court rejecting the casino operator's license. The $4 billion project's future is now uncertain due to the ruling by Judge Sarika Kapoor. Kapoor, who had previously nullified Sands' lease with Nassau County, stated that the company lacks a current lease for the Coliseum building and the surrounding area designated for construction. This decision is part of an ongoing legal dispute initiated in 2023 between Nassau-based Hofstra University and the casino operator.
In April, school officials filed a lawsuit alleging that the district's approval of land for a casino violated state law. The court sided with the university, mandating public hearings and an environmental assessment for the proposed complex.
Nassau officials argued that Sands possessed tenant rights through a private arrangement with Nassau Live Center LLC, the former tenant of the Coliseum. Las Vegas Sands, vying for one of New York's coveted gaming licenses, paid approximately $241 million to Nassau Live Center LLC for leasing the Nassau Coliseum.
