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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Gallery Casino Proposal Moves Forward
A casino proposal for the Gallery took a step closer to reality at the City Planning Commission today.

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission this afternoon voted 4-1 to recommend that City Council approve a zoning change needed for a casino to open at the Gallery at 11th and Market streets in Center City.  The commission acted after hearing several anti-casino activists and Chinatown residents plead for more details from Foxwoods, the casino company that is considering moving to the Gallery from a state-approved location in South Philly.

Mayor Nutter, who appointed the commission members, favors that move.  But some commission members were clearly conflicted about giving the nod to a zoning change with no details offered by Foxwoods.  Commission member Natalia Olson de Savjckyj opposed making the recommendation, saying she wanted the information first.  Commission member Nilda Ruiz offered qualified support, saying she would have liked to have more information.  Also voting for the recommendation were commission members Pat Eiding, Alan Greenberger and Anuj Gupta [sitting in for Managing Director Camille Barnett].

City Commerce Director Andy Altman, who chairs the commission but does not vote, explained to his colleagues and the crowd that the zoning recommendation only relates to zoning at the Gallery.  Foxwoods would need a plan of development approved by the Commission before it could use the new zoning, if it is approved by Council.  That process could take six months, Altman said.  "At the end of the day, it's not a vote for this site," he said. "It's a vote for a process to evaluate this site."

A rare Saturday public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 1 to discuss the legislation for the zoning change.  Council may first consider the zoning change at its Nov. 6 meeting and could vote on it at its Nov. 13 meeting.

Posted by Chris Brennan @ 3:51 PM  Permalink | 14 comments
Comments   
Posted 05:45 PM, 10/21/2008
ryphilly8507
At least a casino would draw people (granted some of them may be shady) to Philly, who will spend their money here. Hopefully some of that will trickle down to the people who LIVE in this deteriorated cheesesteak haven.
Comment removed.
Posted 06:01 PM, 10/21/2008
chrissmith
The Gallery...yuck. No thanks!
Posted 06:37 PM, 10/21/2008
equalityman
While there were many public hearings, traffic studies etc. for the Foxwoods location on the waterfront, Mayor Nutter and Councilman DiCicco and Rep O'Brien went behind closed doors, and in their sole judgment and "wisdom", decided to move this project into Chinatown. So much for the touted transparency agenda promoted by Nutter when he was running for office. Obviously the Chinatown people do not rate as compared to the Old City and South Philly crowd. DiCicco who lives in South Philadelphia would never even agree to introduce the Commercial Entertainment District legislation for the waterfront location but he already has it drafted and introduced it for the Chinatown site! So much for equal treatment and consideration of our Philadelphia residents in Chinatown. This facility needs to go back to the waterfront where it belongs.
Posted 06:39 PM, 10/21/2008
DC
Shady characters would be an improvement over some of the locals who frequent that part of town.
Posted 06:49 PM, 10/21/2008
FishTownForever
The Shady Characters my friends are not only found around the Gallery. The inhabit city hall and the state assembly. What stopped Foxwoods from building in South Philly? Proximity to neighborhood? And, so Proximity to neighborhood in Chinatown is "not an issue." Foxwood, have you SEEN that area of the city at night? Hello? Are you serious? (Or is this still part of the "look, we tried" tactic?)
Posted 07:28 PM, 10/21/2008
tonyS
The "thugs and criminals" that could be preying upon the visitors to the slots parlors are here already: they work in city hall and steal from us taxpayers. Throw the bums out in '08.
Comment removed.
Posted 07:45 PM, 10/21/2008
DC
TonyS speaks the truth. Throw the bums out.
Posted 07:59 PM, 10/21/2008
kofpm
All I can think of is the "alternate 1985" from Back to the Future II.
Posted 08:04 PM, 10/21/2008
argonne
Negotiate with Preit. Give them whatever they want/need to build a new Gallery somewhere in North or West Philly, the further north-west the better off for Center City. Slapping a slots barn on top of the Gallery ,as is, wil further bury center city as a place that can/should and will be bypassed. Market East needs a complete overhaul, a switch in socio economic demographics,give me new office space,new retail,new apts/condos. The Spectrum is getting imploded? Build a smaller Spectrum 7,000-8,000 on Market east. Madison Square Garden did wonders for the growth cycle of Midtown Manhattan.There should be a couple billion dollars worth of civic/private/public investment from Independence Hall to City Hall. Yet year after year,decade after decade Market East remains a black eye on Center City.Nothing ever changes here and I suspect Foxwoods presence will do little to change the dreary aura.
Comment removed.
Posted 11:07 PM, 10/21/2008
MsLou
Until this economy is straightened out a new casino will have a struggle. The Atlantic city & PA casinos are struggling business because they stop paying off. When the Republicans went into office the money dried up. I've been going to Atlantic city casinos for years. They used to be packed and they paid off. Now it's a ghost town; depressing. So don't say gamblers can't stop. Sales are way down in the city and suburban malls. I'ts not whose in the mall but who is going through the cash register. A casino is fine with me but the timing is not good. But it will put people and lite on Mkt street. Creepy at nite.
Posted 06:22 PM, 10/22/2008
FishTownForever
People intent on destroying their own life with addictions will do so by any means. Why do (for example) 50 year old business men drive over from NJ to buy their drugs in dangerous Philly neighborhoods? An addiction is an addiction and the location of alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc., is irrelevant to the determined. I can walk to my local candy store and see people dropping down $50 on the lottery.
14 comments
About Chris Brennan and Catherine Lucey
PhillyClout
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.

Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002. Since then she has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. For the past two years, she covered the 2007 mayoral election. Now that the battle is over, she has moved down to the City Hall bureau where she will report on the Nutter administration.
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Catherine Lucey
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