Gov. Rendell and Mayor Nutter today announced that the developers of Foxwoods, a casino proposed for the Delaware riverfront in South Philly, are considering different locations for the project. Rendell said the developers did not say where those new locations might be, other than that they're inside the city limits, not on the riverfront and not within 10 miles of casinos already open in Bensalem and Chester.
Rendell cautioned that the new locations are only being considered. "This should not be considered definitive," Rendell said. "There is nothing that is sure or certain here."
Foxwoods and SugarHouse, another casino proposed for the Delaware riverfront, were awarded gaming licenses by the state in December 2006 but have run into a series of snags with the city government, state officials, neighborhood groups and anti-gaming protesters. Three other investment groups applied to the state Gaming Control Board for the two casino licenses in the city but were rejected. The decisions were based on the proposed locations, which prompted reporters to ask if the rejected casino applicants might now sue the state. "Anybody can sue anybody for anything," said state Sen. Vince Fumo, who had called for the Foxwoods meeting.*
SugarHouse and Foxwoods have previously refused to consider new locations. SugarHouse did not attend the meeting but is expected to gather with Rendell, Nutter and others after Labor Day.
* This quote was originally and incorrectly attributed to Rendell.
UPDATE: Foxwoods just released this statement:
"Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia has delivered a world-class casino project with significant value to the City and the Commonwealth, and was awarded a license in an open competition by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board at our South Columbus Boulevard site. We have remained open to others’ responsible ideas, suggestions and concerns and have examined many alternatives to improve the value we will bring to the City and the State.
We have shared with City and State officials the obstacles that resiting would entail. Following those discussions we have agreed, in principle, to consider other alternative sites and ways that we can mutually overcome those obstacles. We are committed to continuing those discussions, while preserving our rights to the South Columbus Boulevard site."
Posted by Chris Brennan @ 4:05 PM
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37 comments
This smells familiar... somewhat like the center city ballpark perhaps. I am so glad the neighborhood association killed that project and we saved those vacant lots north of Vine street. YAAAAY grass roots!
Man, I can't wait to see the old people being trucked in by the thousands during bingo day. People, the waterfront is basically full of old municipal piers, decaying storage facilities and people's personal trash dumps. Let it go, has anyone seen the Foxwoods casino is Connecticut? All it does is create jobs and much needed revenue for the city. Get over yourselves. I hope they build it anyway.
See I don't think it's the blue collar folk this time. I think it's the NIMBY new arrivals with too much time on their hands. They hear the word casino and automatically start organizing meetings before thinking through the implications of the projects. There's still hope for Sugarhouse at it's current site I think.
Eddie had it right all along. The Vegas strip on the Delaware. Borgata on one end, the Bellagio on the other and watch the middle blow up with high end development.But the blue collar stiffs of Pennsport and Port Richmond apparently got their wish. Philadlephia to remain a poor, tawdry, working class dump stuck in some weird depression era silent movie.Philadlephia is the 5th poorest county in the USA? This casino fiasco is a microcosm of what ails this flea bitten, mangy mutt of a city.
It's a shame. Nothing ever gets done in Philadelphia that is beneficial. Who needs the millions that would be generated by the Foxwoods?
Well said. Any one of you who thinks dropping casinos in that neighborhood would improve it, should walk outside them onto Pacific Avenue and watch the perverted, horrible circus on the sidewalks. Rendell has been shamelessly carrying the flag for the casino "industry" in PA. Happy to see he got slapped down in Gettysburg and here. It will be interesting to see what perks he is slipping to those casino developers to move. Nothing is done for free by Fat Eddie.
I ask you, is there anything worse than an uniformed activist? Does anyone have a bit of vision in this town? I bought in CC six months ago and I'm already sick of the NIMBY, "keep Philly the same" crowd.
I can actually see moving Foxwoods. That parcel of Delaware Ave could become a sweet condo complex(boring), but the Sugarhouse site is just too perfect and I can't see them agreeing to move.
For those of you that want these moved to the airport or the naval yard, you'll be getting yourself two big boxes with slot machines in them rather than two much needed massive riverfront entertainment complexes. As others have said, enjoy your broken glass and empty lots because that's what you'll be looking at for the next 10-20 years instead of hanging at the Borgata Philly.
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For those supporting the cities efforts to change the rules in the middle of the game, Dare I remind you that this city has been promising us a Baltimor Harbor Style future for Penns Landing, Since It's inception. Do we really want to trust these people to do the right thing, and put the city's best interest ahead of Political Kickbacks?
The People fighting the casinos are apart of a much bigger problem in Philadelphia. A large portion of the population here does not do well with change. They still think of Philly as a 1950's style premier US city. The issues are simple to fix. Make the casinos invest in the infrastructure around their developments. Casinos are gonna make money hand over fist, mandate that they address the issue. There is room down on Columbus Blvd. to open it up wider. Once the casinos go up most of those warehouses will be replaced with shopping malls and condos anyway. As to the Crime issue, we live in Philly. There was mugging and prostitution going on before the casinos. Stop crying. For those who can't stop crying, let them build the casinos, let your property value soar, then sell out and move to Mayberry. I pray that we no longer let old ways of thinking impede us from progressing any more. Thats from a democrat waiting to see my city grow and elect a republican mayor.
I think its ridiculous that all this time and money has been wasted..think of the wages that have been lost waiting for this to start. Put a slot parlor in the Reading Termnal Market buy out all the vendors..what kind of "first classs" city takes a beautiful historic building turns it into a food court and kicks out the creator of the Philly cheesesteak!!!!!!!!!!! TOTALLY PHILLY STYLE!!!!
Judging by the upswing of petty crime that followed the opening of the casino in the Poconos, I would want the Philly casinos to be located in the Navy Yard, away from residential areas. Let the gambling addicts get in and out by way of I-95. Out of sight, out of mind.
You don't *need* much parking for a Market Street location, since the target market is a different crowd. The Sugarhouse site has parking, that can be for the more local crowd that wants to drive. A site on Market St. can allow for upgrades to Septa stations, and 24 hr. service on commuter rail and city transit division lines. Besides, the hotels have parking, there are lots in the area, and tourists, as a general rule, don't have as many cars and will walk.
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO MAJORITY WINS. FOR 500 PEOPLE MOVE GO TO THE SUBURBS AND STOP WHINNING. SAME WITH THE RITTENHOUSE SQ. SOMEBODY CAN'T SEE OUT THERE WINDOW AND THEY STOP THE BUILDING OF A HIGH RISE MAKING THE CITY LOOK BETTER AND BRING IN MORE MONEY. SAME WITH THOSE PEOPLE AT KENNEDY HOUSE. TO STOP A 500 FT. SKY SCRAPER BECAUSE THEY MIGHT GET A LITTLE SHADOW. BY THE TIME IT IS BUILD IN 2012 MOST OF THEM WILL BE DEAD HAVE DIMENTIA OR ALZHEIMERS SO, WHY IS THE CITY SO CRAZY ABOUT BUILDING SOMETHING GOOD IN THE CITY, BUT A COUPLE OR 3 LOW IN COME HIGH RISES WHERE SUGAR HOUSE AND FOXWOODS SHOULD BE BETTER THEN AN EMPTY LOT . GIVE THE POOR AND MINORITY A PLACE TO LIVE IN STEAD OF THE STREET. THOSE GOOFS IN SP FIRST OF ALL FUMO IS GOING TO JAIL WHY ARE WE LISTENING TO HIM ANYWAY. HOPING FOR SYMPATHY DOING SOMETHING FOR THE UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE IN SOUTH PHILLY THEY ACROSS A MAJOR HIGHWAY. PUT A NEW HIGH SCHOOL LIKE SOUTH PHILLY AND A CAMPUS FOR THE KIDS. THEN THEY WOULD HAVE 2000 STUDENTS WALKING PAST THERE PRECIOUS ROW HOUSE. PLEASE MOVE TO THE SUBURBS IF YOU WANT ZONING CAN'T BUILD A FENCE WITHOUT A PERMIT THERE.
Longshanks and Gary: You appear to be in the clear-thinking minority. Sparerib: Pennsport is clearly separated from the waterfront by I-95 and industrial properties. I can't imagine cars and buses using Mifflin St. to get to the casino site. You are quite a drama-queen.
great. the anti-development crowd (the usual bunch of hippie/marxist/birkenstock-wearing potheads) is trying to derail a great job-building project. on the riverfront or off/in the city limits, this must happen. to all of you commie losers, GFY.
hay malacry, I live closer then you come out of your basement once and a while
Nuts to the idea to put them next to the stadiums. There is enough event traffic and congestion in the event driven area. To think that they want to add the Spectrum Philly Live project which is another worthless piece of urban blight. The area south of Packer Avenue will be known far and wide as the most worthless heartless stretch of urban landscape, anywhere on the planet.
Hay shortrib I live right of of Snyder ave on a street I can never find a spot on , but I do know what good for my neighborhood
My congratulations to the Atlantic City casino industry. You have been able to successfully fund Philly anit-casino roups that were even able to convince Vince Fumo to flip his position. I guess the casinos revenue money that would have been generated for improvements to the City infrastructure, parks, rec centers and schools will now be carved out of the City budget. Now let us know how much the City has paid in legal fees to fight these casinos and how much we will need to pay for trash pickup. Way to go Mayor Nutter!
Foxwoods also released this statement: "Screw you people, our hands are so far into Fast Eddies pockets we can feel his toes. We are far too powerful and conceited to take into account a residential neighborhood we will be stomping all over. That is all."
Idiots like Gary and longshank would be the first to start crying if the casinos were to be placed in their backyards. Perhaps you two geniuses could move to the site in So Phl. I'm sure the other vermin there won't mind and it would be an improvement from your current place of residence in mom's basement.
Wait a second, I thought this was a "done deal"? Are we to believe that all the grass roots activism is actually forcing the politicians and their big-money donors to reconsider their intentions? YAAAAAY!!!! (Might additional activism do even more?)
I tell you what Gary and longshanks, you come on down and see how you would like if they built a haven for drugs and money laundering in your backyard. Not to mention the fact that you wouldn't be able to get anywhere on the streets with 5,000 more cars and buses clogging up already overburdened streets. Anyone who thinks that a casino would "improve" the neighborhood should take a look at any area in Atlantic City that is not wholly owned by a casino investment group. How about a legitimate business taking over the land. Pharmaceuticals or technology companies. No, the state wants the easy way out, feed off of people's addiction and false hope.
maybe you can throw some dirty diapers, tires, and broken bottles into the lot that should've been Foxwoods. You should go celebrate Squareib in this great piece of land now that you got your wish.
Yea knock down the homeless shelter and school hookie hang out know as the gallery and put something nice there
Yea knock down the homeless shelter and school hookie hang out know as the gallery and put something nice there
I tell you what Gary and longshanks, you come on down and see how you would like if they built a haven for drugs and money laundering in your backyard. Not to mention the fact that you wouldn't be able to get anywhere on the streets with 5,000 more cars and buses clogging up already overburdened streets. Anyone who thinks that a casino would "improve" the neighborhood should take a look at any area in Atlantic City that is not wholly owned by a casino investment group.
Anon your crazy lol...first of all there is no parking on market street and it would make traffic unbearable. I agree that area needs to be re-done but casinos will only attract more panhandlers there because they KNOW people will be spending money there. Which means more muggings as people would HAVE to walk a block or so to their cars parked in garages at all times of the night. Not a good look.
I would suggest more of entertainment complex for market street kind of like Time Squre used to have. Movie complex/arcades plus more family friendly things so that tourists who stay at the downtown hotels have something to do in the immediate area when they come visit with their children.
They aren't moving for free. So sorry you will now have to pay to get your trash picked up and your kid will never have new school buildings. Apparently, the City has spent all of your tax dollars fighting against the development of vacant lots, fighting against new jobs, and fighting against new much-needed tax revenue. Way to go, Philly!! Whohoo!!!
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Navy yard is still the best place...offers infrastructure from 95 and 76. Broad street line can be extended. It complies with the 10 mile rule. Create an entertainment area. it has the parking....it may reduce the traffic after the games but allowing people to stay there longer and thereby increase the amount of time when people leave. You can build hotels. It has a private airport and marina. You may be able to have ferries go directly there from NJ
NOT down by the stadiums! Market St. It would clean up the short, icky part between City Hall and Old City.
What a shame this area has lost Millions of dollars. because 500 people didn't want the casinos on Del ave. Now these same people will be happy to see the casino go anywhere else and think its the greatest location ever. I hope those 2 fields say trash and dirt ridden forever
Awesome, the anti-casino crowd saved that empty, trash-filled lot. I was worried that we were going to lose it. Now, the residents of the new locations will cry foul and create more years worth of headaches with their whining. Go celebrate Pennsport and Whitman, maybe you can throw some dirty diapers, tires, and broken bottles into the lot that should've been Foxwoods.
Also as another idea why not a riverboat casino? I mean there are already a few charter boats such as the spirit that already provide drinks and music for partygoers cruising the river. Why not a casino boat. I would be coo especially at night and it will have the views if not better if they would have had it on deleware ave.
The boats can leave down the river past bestbuy near that gentleman's club is.
Casinos should go down by the Stadiums. They are already building a restaurant/hotel complex where the spectrum is. Plus it would give the Navy personal something to do down there and not congest traffic in the city since it's accessably from i95.
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