House Appropriations Chairman Dwight Evans and State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo said at a news conference that they would draft legislation to remove the casinos' tax breaks if they did not abandon their proposed sites on the Delaware River waterfront.

The locations, which were decided upon 21/2 years ago, are "untenable and contrary to the public interest," the Democrats said in a statement.

"We are sending a message to citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that we are trying to fix the problem," said Evans, joined by nine Philadelphia-area lawmakers in addition to Fumo. "We didn't think it would be the problem it is today, but it has created tension for people in the community as well as politically."

Fumo said they also were sending a message that if casino companies continued the legal battle, they would be stripped of their 10-year tax abatements. And he suggested the lawmakers might go further.

Back then, "we started making spit balls. This time, they'll be atom bombs," he said.

Gov. Rendell, in an interview last night, said he would meet with all parties within the next two to three weeks, but he cautioned that any casino relocation has to be voluntary. "Under the law, the location can't be changed."

On Wednesday, Evans bashed a proposal to make the casinos ineligible for tax breaks. But he had to make the deal to clear the way for a bill extending state tax breaks for a University City site to entice BlackRock Inc., a financial-services firm, to move 1,100 high-paying jobs to Philadelphia.

"We are happy to have a conversation with Dwight Evans or anyone else about why our site is the best site and resiting is not an option," SugarHouse spokeswoman said Leigh Whitaker last night.

Inquirer staff writer Mario F. Cattabiani contributed to this article.