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SugarHouse Casino asks Supreme Court for permission to build
By Ed Goppelt
Friday, 10/26/07
(1193403446986)
SugarHouse Casino asked the Pennsylvania Supreme Court yesterday to
issue the building permits it needs to build its casino. In an
October 25, 2007 press conference, speakers for SugarHouse argued that
they had no choice but to sue the City of Philadelphia, their host
community, because City Council thus far has not rezoned the casino's
property which lies midway between Northern Liberties and Fishtown.
Lawyer Stephen Cozen, union leaders Pat Gillespie and Ed Coryell, Ed Grose of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association said that SugarHouse had played by the rules, been a good neighbor, that they had a right to build their casino, that jobs and taxes depended on the timely construction of the casino etc.
Cozen said the casino would not consider moving to another location. He also dismissed Hallwatch's question that he name a single peer reviewed scientific study demonstrating the economic benefits of casinos for cities such as Philadelphia as "illegitimate." Fishtown resident Rich Levins said that in his opinion, the number of persons actively opposed to the SugarHouse Casino had dwindled less than 50 and that support for the casino was growing in his community.
Fishtown resident Morgan Jones disagreed. "There is certainly significant opposition in Fishtown," said Jones who opposes siting the SugarHouse in Fishtown. "I think the fight in Fishtown has gotten so ugly people have stopped voicing their opposition. I don't think it's good for the community. I think [casino supporters like Levins] have turned this into a war and we're trying to protect the community."
Northern Liberties resident Debbie King thought Levins' statement was "ridiculous," but said she could only speak for her own community. King, who sits on the Board of Northern Liberties Neighbors Association, said residents had "nearly unanimously" voted yesterday to continue their opposition to the SugarHouse site.
The audience of 75 at the Penns Landing Hyatt gave the SugarHouse announcement a warm hearing, applauding enthusiastically at various points. Although a SugarHouse press release implied that the event would only open to accredited members of the media, Hallwatch estimates that about 20 pro-SugarHouse neighbors were present, including FACT founders Maggie O'Brien and Donna Tomlinson. Hallwatch publisher Ed Goppelt counted just six members of the media at the event in addition to himself: four TV cameras and one reporter each from the Daily News and Inquirer. SugarHouse's lawyers, two of its owners, its president and other employees, PR flaks, engineers and political consultants also attended the event.
There were few casino critics in attendance at the carefully stage managed event, which Hallwatch found out about just one hour before it began. No delegates from the Philadelphia Neighborhood Alliance were present, with the exception of Goppelt. The PNA seeks to resite the SugarHouse and Foxwoods casinos away from residential neighborhoods. Nor were members of Casino-Free Philadelphia which opposes casinos anywhere in the City.
The PNA did issue a statement condemning SugarHouse's decision to sue the City. "This is a desperate measure. The reason that SugarHouse has encountered so many obstacles and roadblocks is because of massive community opposition to building a huge slots parlor on our waterfront in the midst of a thriving densely-populated neighborhood," said Rosanne Loesch of Society Hill. "SugarHouse is undermining the democratic process by asking the court to intervene in a local land use issue."
The PNA will probably hold a press conference sometime today responding to Governor Rendell's public statement yesterday supporting the SugarHouse Law suit said Loesch.