We must hold firm in our opposition

What are we to make of the recent opinion pieces in RiverheadLOCAL by Justin Ghermezian (“Triple Five executive: ‘No cargo jetport for Calverton’,” (July 11) and Tim Hubbard (“Hubbard on cargo jetport at EPCAL: ‘I will never let that happen.’” (July 5)?

Is it over?  Has the threat of an air cargo distribution hub at EPCAL disappeared?  Or has it just been put in a memory hole?

I am afraid we have to assume this is just another maneuver in the long series of beautiful stories told by the Ghermezians to a gullible audience.   In sequence:  

1)  investment in Luminati and Daniel Preston’s scientific and business acumen;

2)  testimony from semi-VIP defense and industry personalities with projects ready to move in;

3)  the Silicon Valley of the East Coast, high paying technology jobs;

4)  a green roof of a science and development building for school trips; 

5)  financial and technical salvation by sketchy Israeli companies;

6)  a market-driven air cargo distribution hub 

7)  a rail hub 

8)  a center for the development and manufacture of artificial intelligence.

What future public hearing was Justin referring to?   Before or after the IDA decides on the Ghermezians’ September 2022 proposal or on an unknown cosmetic modification?

Note that Justin did not guarantee that they will never change their plans in the future to include a “cargo jetport;” nor does he use more precise language precluding a future “air cargo distribution hub”.  

He is responding to Tim Hubbard’s opinion piece but revealingly says nothing about Tim’s attempted safeguards:  “covenants be signed protecting the property from ever becoming an air cargo port, and the protection of the + /- 1000 acres from development.”

Even Tim’s modest precautions may be too much for the Ghermezians.  But if they appear to accept his ideas now to appease critics, how binding and permanent are such restrictions?  If the next Town Board is like its predecessors, we can have no confidence that Tim as supervisor and his colleagues will resist future plan revisions by the Ghermezians after they become the owner of EPCAL. 

They will claim new plans for a cargo port are “forced upon them” by a change in the market or by diminished interest from high tech clients.  There is ample evidence about how the Ghermezian family has used its money and political clout to pressure neighboring towns and debtors in New Jersey, Florida and Minnesota.

The Ghermezians must clarify.  Were they fabricating in September 2022 in front of the IDA to make it sound like a sure thing economically, or are they fabricating now to placate public anger?

The reliability and veracity of the Ghermezian family must be questioned given the civil racketeering lawsuit against them alleging they imported counterfeit hand sanitizer during COVID. 

Also worth recalling is this scene with Nader Ghermezian, the chairman of Triple Five, when the veils dropped at a meeting with a Town Board and Supervisor that asked real questions: https://youtu.be/7R-CTtt5FVM

Bottom line, who are we to believe when?  

Regardless of what the Ghermezians say about their plans now, Supervisor Aguiar told a Town Board meeting that nothing prevents them from flipping the property.  They are in a  disastrous financial situation at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey as reported here.

If they succeed in grabbing 1,600 acres at Luminati’s scandalous prices, won’t they be tempted by the quick profits of resale at market value that can relieve their money burdens elsewhere?

My personal view is that we, the people of Riverhead, must hold firm in our opposition. The only way to really protect ourselves from an air cargo hub is for the IDA to turn down whatever version of the Ghermezian plan is on the table and for the current or next Town Board to exercise its absolutely clear option to say the contract is null and void.

Then the public and town officials can consider how the as-yet unapproved 50 lot subdivision (which already cost us $500,000 to create) can be best utilized from a long  term economic, environmental, property value and quality of life perspective.

John McAuliff is a 30-year home owner in Riverhead and a member of EPCAL Watch. Views expressed here are his alone. He can be reached at jmcauliff@gmail.com.

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