That seems to be the mantra of Democrats across the country — and Yonkers Democrats are no exception. When MGM pulled out of the Empire Casino expansion deal, two Democrats couldn’t wait to grab a microphone and point fingers at Trump for their own failures.
Which two? Democrat Mike Spano and Democrat John Rubbo — both former Republicans who abandoned their principles when they saw the Democratic registration numbers growing faster than Republican ones. Like others, they switched parties not out of conviction, but for political survival.
For Spano, switching made sense. Running for mayor, he could have it both ways — the Democratic vote, plus the continued loyalty of Republican leaders still tied to the Spano family through Leonard Spano’s long history in the GOP. It was the perfect setup for an easy win. For years, the Spanos made sure they faced only weak opponents, creating the illusion that they were unbeatable.
That illusion ended when Nick Spano ran against Andrea Stewart-Cousins. She was a real independent Democrat, and after redistricting, Nick’s streak came to an end. He lost that election — and later reinvented himself as a lobbyist in Albany, following some legal troubles.
To his credit, Nick Spano remains a master of Yonkers politics. Few can match his strategic vision. His motto has always been simple: If you can’t win them over, buy their loyalty — with jobs or appointments, all funded by the taxpayers.
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Now, the times have changed. After years of lobbying Albany and Governor Hochul, Nick Spano worked to bring MGM to Yonkers, to expand Empire City Casino. MGM invested millions buying the property from the Rooney family, and for a while, it looked like Yonkers might finally solve its financial problems.
Plans were drawn up, City Council committees met, and ideas floated — one elected official even pushed for adding micro-brewery to the project. As the state’s decision on new casino licenses drew closer, the competition tightened. A few sites were eliminated early, but Yonkers remained in contention.
The remaining contenders are:
• Bally’s in the Bronx (former Trump Links golf course),
• Freedom Plaza in Midtown East between 1st Avenue and the FDR Drive,
• Sands at the Nassau Coliseum site in Uniondale, and
• Citi Field’s parking lot in Corona, Queens.
Each of these are serious, well-backed competitors.
According to state officials, there were growing concerns that Empire City might not be able to generate substantial new revenue. On top of that, local residents raised legitimate worries about increased traffic and flooding if the expansion went forward.
Yet, our two cheerleaders — Mike Spano and Rubbo — either didn’t understand these issues or simply chose to ignore them. Either way, both are lightweights when it comes to negotiating with major private corporations. One runs a local brewery, and the other has no serious corporate experience.
When you’re fighting for a multibillion-dollar development, you can’t just pick up a phone and expect deals to fall into place. That might work in Yonkers politics, but not in the real world of high-stakes business.
So please, keep Trump out of this. You guys aren’t even in the same league.
By Joseph Berger, John P. O’Leary Northwest Yonkers Republican Club co-founder, member and guest writer.
