Blakeman Failed to Deliver (Again) on the 2024 Cricket Match

The Lie:

County Executive Bruce Blakeman lied when he said that sacrificing prime parkland during the 2024 summer season to build a temporary cricket stadium would benefit Nassau residents. 

Why You May Believe the Lie:

Although Blakeman’s deal did not require the tournament operator to pay a fee for using our parks, he defended the project, saying it would generate $160 million in economic benefits.

The Truth:

According to Nassau County Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, as of late 2025, “county taxpayers have yet to receive a full accounting of the tournament’s costs.”  Blakeman has refused to release data about the costs or economic benefits, making it impossible to determine if this project was advantageous for Nassau County.  For example, police overtime exceeded the budget by 64% in 2024 amounting to a staggering $80 million, with the Cricket Tournament being a contributing factor. 

Action You Can Take:

• Share this post on your social media and email and discuss it with your friends.
• Call County Executive Bruce Blakeman and demand a full accounting, at: nassaucountyny.gov/481/County-Executive, or 516-571-6000 or 516-571-3131 – prompt 5, then “other”.

Sources: 

• Newsday, “ T20 World Cup Cricket: Field used to build stadium returned to public use after 19 months,” by Robert Brodsky, November 19, 2025 https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau-cricket-stadium-eisenhower-park-east-meadow-xp41fe4m
• Newsday,” Cricket’s T20 World Cup brings global fans to Nassau, but economists are skeptical of impact” by Nicholas Spangler and Jonathan LaMantia,  June 15, 2024  https://www.newsday.com/long-island/t20-cricket-world-cup-economics-kjarzaoe