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Friday, August 28, 2009

DiCicco: Foxwoods Ruling "Damages Philadelphia's Fabric"

Statement from City Councilman Frank DiCicco on Gaming Control Board's ruling:

From the beginning, I have believed that gaming, if done well, will be a great benefit for Philadelphia. However, if enacted poorly, I have no doubt that gaming will irreparably harm the City and damage our neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, the extension of Foxwoods’ license and the condition that the project must be built at its waterfront location is a poor decision that damages Philadelphia’s fabric. Current traffic problems will be exacerbated making it difficult for customers to arrive and driving down gaming revenues. If revenue is lower than expected, Foxwoods will likely fail to expand retail, food or hotel services; those services would render important City taxes and improve job offerings. Likewise, the traffic problems that negatively impact Foxwoods will also impact the surrounding retail establishments and port-related facilities in South Philadelphia. While casino development could enhance surrounding businesses, Foxwoods Casino on the river would hinder its neighbors.

In contrast, a Center City location may have provided an economic engine to help revitalize Market East. More people on the street would have allowed for more commercial opportunities. Better transit systems would have eased traffic concerns. The proximity to the Convention Center would have guaranteed a continuous stream of patrons as well as improved the likelihood of expanded hotel rooms and other businesses. In short, the casino would be a driver for redevelopment and new jobs.

While I recognize that an attempt to relocate the license may have generated law suits and delayed Foxwoods’ initial opening, those short-term challenges would have been in the City’s and the Commonwealth’s long-term best interests.

It is disappointing, although not surprising, that the Board failed to see these benefits and instead sought the fastest and easiest route.
Posted by Chris Brennan @ 2:22 PM  Permalink | 23 comments
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:50 PM, 08/28/2009
    I think DiCicco is wrong -- the South Philly site was always the better site for traffic concerns, access and egress by the waterfront, and in and out of the city. The improvements that the casino in will generate will spur improvements that SP has been waiting for for long time to public transit serving that area, traffic improvements on a large scale, and greening/pedestrian/bike improvements for the waterfront that ties it to the city. The scale of Market St. was too compressed -- there would have been gridlock. Look at the other casinos for yourself. Go visit them and see how what works, and what doesn't.
    — CleanupPhilly
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:04 PM, 08/28/2009
    DiCicco, and the rest of city council damage the fabric of the city every day.... I assume that Foxwoods just hasn't greased the right people or this deal would have been done two years ago.
    — Leary01
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:05 PM, 08/28/2009
    DiCicco is a blowhard. A casino in South Philly will help the neighborhood. South Philly is nothing more than the white ghetto and has been for a long time.
    — SpeakPhilly.com
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:08 PM, 08/28/2009
    DiCicco made a mistake in the statement (which almost certainly he did not write himself): What he meant to say was: The City Council (and the hacks elected to it, himself included)"damages Philadelphia’s fabric." By the way, anyone who believes that Foxwoods has not been damaged by the Pequot Tribal Nation fiasco is nuts. I strongly doubt that the Foxwoods' Casino will ever see the light of day.
    — chuckw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:13 PM, 08/28/2009
    He is dead wrong. The ONLY site Foxwoods was approved to develop was the waterfront. If you let them move to Gallery then you have to re-open up the process and let the other bidders in since the approvals were for sites as well as companies. THIS IS GREAT NEWS
    — Malcolm65
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:15 PM, 08/28/2009
    Why don't you put this casino right at Broad and Lehigh? Easy access to Amtrak, Regional Rail, the Subway, buses, and Broad Street for cars. Oh, and that area is in major need of help. Give people the jobs who need them the most (if they can do the jobs well, of course)!
    — NickFromGermantown
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:20 PM, 08/28/2009
    And what "fabric" would that be? The trash strewn streets where dirty trashy kids play? That's laughable. Corrupt politicians and special interest groups damage the "fabric" of the city every day along with the NIMBY people that refuse to accept change and deny to themselves that it's 2009 not 1959.
    — rightwingsheeple
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:34 PM, 08/28/2009
    Re NickFromGermantown: Do you really think that the casinos are only going to hire local residents? Sugarhouse and it's fake neighborhood group Fact have been lying to Fishtown residents for years now about this. Look at AC. Do they have those giant employee parking lot's on the AC Exp for the local residents? Nope. The casinos will suck the life out of any neighborhood they plant themselves in.
    — FishtownYo
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:35 PM, 08/28/2009
    City Council and the Mayor damage the fabric of the already worn out city
    — thebaron
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:48 PM, 08/28/2009
    DiCicco's own father had gambling addition issues. He admitted to this! You can tell he's corrupt when he is a direct victim of the social consequence of gambling and he still pushes to get casinos into the city. His father must be proud.
    — testedpatience
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:00 PM, 08/28/2009
    DiCicco and the rest of city council and all who oppose the casino on the riverfront needs to shut up. I can't believe the amount of time has passed and no casino. I don't think it'll be a bad idea if the casino is built there as long as it is done tastefully. Traffic problems can be fixed but most importantly this city needs the revenue and jobs being generated from casinos. I can't imagine anywhere else in Philly where the casinos should go. The riverfront is the perfect location.
    — knmcmahon
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:17 PM, 08/28/2009
    I pray the City does not spend taxpayer dollars and try to continue to block this important development that wiil provide jobs and enhance our tourism industry. Mayor Nutter has been anti-business, anti-development and anti-casino. While I supported him eary on he must not be relected.
    — equalityman
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:20 PM, 08/28/2009
    Yo to all those that are forgetful/DiCicco statement is right on: New Baseball Stadium to be built in Center City at Broad and Springarden or off Delaware Ave had much support by inky print media. Traffic and Fans were to be economic boost to Center City tourist trade and restaruants. Traffic was never an overridding concern. Switch locations of projects like the proposed Spectrum /"Philly Live" have all been built to revitalize urban centers like our center city. (not create new ones to let old centers be SUCKED DRY) THINK BIG URBAN PLANS. >>> Yes we have a Major Convention Center. Yes we have a major one of kind Historic District.....Now Add a Casino to eight and Market Streets, Add a 5,500 seat arena on North Broad Street below Springarden, develop the "Park in the Air" over the abandoned Reading Viaducts rail trackline (like NY City)and then give economic reason to develop the now wastelands under it north of center city into a valauble commercial/residential area...then we have PHILLY LIVING not just something called "LIVE"!! Viva Philly.
    — Clark_Kent_SuperHero
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:24 PM, 08/28/2009
    The sight of gambling casinos in the City of Philadelphia has never been fully embraced by residents and for good reason; they simply don’t belong here.
    — Jack O


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About The Philly Clout Team
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Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns.
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics ­– which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002 and has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. After covering the 2007 mayoral election, she moved over to the City Hall bureau where she has been reporting on the Nutter administration.
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans.
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