Trump: Rendell's no friend of mine

TO HEAR DONALD TRUMP tell it yesterday, the 2006 decision that left him without a casino in Philadelphia was an "outrageous" case of political insiders reaping awards that outsiders like Trump can't attain.

Gov. Rendell is doing "a lousy job" and puts his friends first in casino matters, Trump fumed. He said he'd probably avoid doing any future casino business in Pennsylvania.

The real-estate tycoon teed off on Rendell in a news conference at his new $28 million, 18-hole golf course in Colts Neck, N.J.

Rendell pushed for the 2004 state law that legalized slot machines in Pennsylvania and then pleaded with Trump to try his luck in the Philly market. When the state Gaming Control Board awarded the bids in 2006, however, Trump was on the outside looking in.

Trump's tirade was prompted in part by Rendell's recent role in engineering the possible relocation of Foxwoods, which was awarded one of the two casino licenses in the city, from its controversial South Philly location to the Gallery in Center City.

"What the governor did is outrageous," Trump complained. "He let a group of his political friends go to another site."

The proposed Foxwoods relocation must be approved by the gaming board. The board, in shooting down Trump's 2006 application for a casino at the former Budd Co. site in Nicetown, ruled that Trump's location would negatively affect nearby neighborhoods.

Trump did not identify which friends of Rendell he was complaining about, but many of Foxwoods' local investors have made political contributions to Rendell.

Among them are developer Ron Rubin, who runs the investment trust that owns the Gallery; Comcast Spectacor chairman Ed Snider; New Jersey Nets owner Lewis Katz, and developer Peter DePaul. Those four investors have given Rendell a combined $81,000 in campaign contributions since 1991.

Trump, standing in the ballroom of his new country club after arriving in a Rolls Royce with Florida license plates, said he'd probably steer clear of any future casino opportunities in Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania is a little too political of a state for me," said Trump. "It sounds like you have to be a friend of the governor to get a casino."

Wrapping up his comments on Rendell, Trump said, without offering other specifics: "I think he's doing a lousy job as governor."

It wasn't that long ago that Rendell and Trump were chummy.

Trump gave Rendell a total of $32,000 in campaign contributions in 2001, '02 and '03. The 2004 gaming law banned any casino-license applicant from making campaign donations after that year.

Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo yesterday responded with a mixture of applied logic and cautious tact.

Rendell "has always considered Donald Trump a friend," Ardo said. "That should put to rest any insinuations that only friends were considered for gaming licenses."

And Ardo insisted his boss was not doing a lousy job.

"I think Mr. Trump's comments obviously indicate a level of frustration that doesn't necessarily reflect the reality that Rendell has been a popular and successful governor by any measure known to man," Ardo said. *