As Islip Town officials begin exploring the possibility of bringing to Long Island MacArthur Airport, the Hauppauge Industrial Association (HIA) will explore what this could mean for area businesses and tourism.
The HIA-LI Executive Breakfast series will hold a forum “The Airport and Tourism: Two Long Island Economic Generators” this Thursday at the airport. The presentation will run from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Local government and tourism officials will be in attendance to offer their thoughts on the topic. Panelists scheduled include Airport Commissioner Teresa Rizzuto, Town of Islip Supervisor and Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission President and CEO Moke McGowan.
“Long Island’s economy is diverse and multifaceted, from B2B industry to business and consumer tourism,” said Terri Alessi-Miceli, HIA-LI president. “We look forward to this discussion about the impact of travel and tourism as an economic driver.”
McGowan said he is excited by the prospects of Long Island MacArthur possibly becoming an international airport, adding that he feels it would have a “huge impact” on Long Island tourism.
“As a world-class destination for domestic and international visitors, air transportation and ease of access is a critical component to our ability to grow our tourism economy,” he said.
Town Sponsors Pre-School Programs
Islip Town is now offering local families pre-school programs Kindergarten Readiness and Tiny Tots, which officials said are designed to help children foster education at an early age.
Both programs are offered from September through June. The Tiny Tots program is $750 a year for two sessions a week, which is payable in 10 installments of $75. For a child to be enrolled in Tiny Tots they must have reached the age of three by December 31, 2011.
The fee for the Kindergarten Readiness program is $950 a year for three sessions a week, payable in 10 installments of $95. Each child in this program must be four years old by December 31, 2011.
Both programs require that the students be toilet trained before enrolling.
Each class is two and a half hours long. Parents or guardians are required to attend a “Parent-Instructor” orientation meeting prior to the first day of classes. A current Islip Town Recreation Card and proof of child’s age is required for enrollment. Class size is limited.
For more information, parents may contact one of the following town recreation centers for schedules and additional information: Bohemia Recreation Center, 472-7037; Cape Cod Learning Center, 224-5395; Greenbelt Recreation Center, 472-7040; Ronkonkoma Beach Recreation Center, 467-3308; West Islip Community Center, 893-8933.
