Blakeman announces marketing campaign for Nassau, invites city's business leaders, residents to relocate after Mamdani election

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman launched a marketing campaign Friday aimed at attracting new residents, tourists and businesses, touting what he considered to be the county's best assets.

"We are looking to get tourists here ... and we're also looking to get businesses and residents, people who want to move here, who want to live in the safest county in America, who want to live in the most desirable place to live in New York State," Blakeman, a Republican who was reelected Tuesday, said in a news conference in Mineola.

He was surrounded by business leaders and others, and called Legis. Mazi Melesa Pilip (R-Great Neck) who stood beside him, his partner in the economic development plan. He highlighted the county's schools, museums, beaches, parks and top medical facilities. 

"We have the best health care network in the world right here in Nassau County. When you think about it, NYU Langone, Northwell, Mount Sinai, the Catholic Hospital Network. ... There are so many choices and they’re all building new facilities and upgrading facilities that they have."

The marketing plan was announced just days after the election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City mayor. Mamdani, a democratic socialist with a progressive agenda, has clashed with President Donald Trump throughout his mayoral campaign. Blakeman is a strong supporter of the president, who had threatened to withhold federal funds to the city because of his opposition to Mamdani's policies.

While Blakeman did not mention Mamdani by name during the event, a news release before the announcement said Blakeman was inviting "New York City entrepreneurs, brokers, educational institutions, and residents to relocate to Nassau County following Mayor Mamdani’s election." 

Mamdani's win has started a wave of speculation that high earners and those concerned about the new mayor may leave the city. The mayor-elect has pitched raising taxes on high earners as a way to pay for some of his programs. Elected leaders in Florida, West Virginia and Pennsylvania have invited New Yorkers upset about the election to make their state home. Invitations from rival states in rival parties are a common and bipartisan fixture after hotly contested elections.

Blakeman said, "I believe we have everything anyone would want," praising the county's schools — public, private and religious.  "There are many choices for parents looking for the best way to educate their children." 

There is "housing for all levels," for those needing "entry homes," to those who wanted to upgrade or downsize their housing, adding that: "Our real estate prices have consistently gone up. ... Four years ago, when I came into office, the average home price for Nassau County was below $600,000. Right now, the average home price is about $850,000." 

Responding to a question from Newsday about the lack of affordable housing on Long Island, he said: "That's something that we are working on. ... We are one of the most densely populated counties in the United States. ... We are confined because of the lack of land to expanding, unless we go vertical. The people of Nassau County don't want to go vertical. ... So what we have to do is we have to try and work out a way we can create housing, transportation-oriented housing, which doesn't bring additional traffic."

Blakeman said he planned to roll out the marketing plan in the next two weeks. "We will take this not only in New York City and the metropolitan area ... but we're going to take this campaign across the United States and internationally, because medical tourism is a very, very big business right now."

Dora Pekec, a spokeswoman for Mayor-elect Mamdani, did not comment when asked about Nassau’s campaign.

Mayor Eric Adams spokeswoman Natalia Cobos responded in an email: “Since day one, the Adams administration has worked to make New York City a safer and more affordable place to live. By creating and planning for thousands of affordable housing units, reducing the cost of child care less than $5 per week, driving down crime, and more, it's clear we have achieved that goal. "

County officials did not immediately respond to a question about the marketing campaign's cost.

Newsday's Matthew Chayes contributed to the story.

By Olivia Winslow

olivia.winslow@newsday.com@newsollie