Pew Poll Shows City Residents Favor Casinos Here
A poll by the Pew Charitable Trusts shows that city residents support bringing casinos to Philadelphia by a margin of 53 percent to 41 percent who oppose the move. In addition, 60 percent support the current proposal to locate one of the two casinos planned for the city on the Delaware riverfront while 35 percent oppose that. The plan to place the second casino on East Market Street was not so popular, with just 39 percent of the respondents in favor while 57 percent are against it.
Pew Poll Shows City Residents Favor Casinos Here
Chris Brennan
A poll by the Pew Charitable Trusts shows that city residents support bringing casinos to Philadelphia by a margin of 53 percent to 41 percent. In addition, 60 percent support the current proposal to locate one of the two casinos planned for the city on the Delaware riverfront while 35 percent oppose that. The plan to place the second casino on East Market Street was not so popular, with just 39 percent of the respondents in favor while 57 percent are against it.
The Pew poll, released last week, also showed that a majority of Philadelphians opposed Mayor Nutter's plans to increase local taxes to help close a $1.4 billion gap in the city's five-year financial plan.
You can view the poll here. After the jump, you can read more from Pew about the casino issue in the poll.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 29, 2009
PEW SURVEY FINDS PHILADELPHIANS FAVOR BRINGING SLOT MACHINES TO CITY
Residents Support Fishtown Location, But Oppose Center City Casino Idea
(PHILADELPHIA, PA)—Philadelphians favor bringing slot-machine gambling to the city and support the plan to build a casino along the Delaware River in Fishtown. But they oppose the idea of a casino on Market Street East in Center City.
Fifty-three percent of city residents favor slot-machine gambling in Philadelphia, while 41 percent are against the idea, according to a new poll commissioned by The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Philadelphia Research Initiative.
In addition, 60 percent of those surveyed support locating one of the slots parlors on the Delaware River in Fishtown, the proposed site of the SugarHouse casino; 35 percent are opposed to this location.
But the idea of a slots parlor on Market Street East is not popular with residents: 57 percent are against it, while 39 percent are in favor.
On April 8, Foxwoods announced plans to put its casino inside the former Strawbridge & Clothier department store at the corner of 8th and Market streets. Previously, Foxwoods had been considering a site at the Gallery shopping mall at 11th and Market streets.
The poll of 800 Philadelphia residents was conducted from April 6 to April 11, 2009 by Abt SRBI Public Affairs in association with Rutgers Professor Cliff Zukin.
City officials say the two casinos, both of which have the support of Mayor Michael Nutter, could be operating in about a year. The SugarHouse project needs a go-ahead from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board—a May 6 hearing is scheduled—after having missed a January deadline for having 1,500 slot machines in operation. Foxwoods needs a zoning change, which is the subject of a City Council hearing scheduled for May 7.
In the survey, backing for slots-gambling is broad: No demographic group is opposed, although some are closely divided. The strongest support comes from people with household incomes over $65,000 (66 percent), whites (62 percent) and men (59 percent). The strongest opposition comes from blacks (46 percent), people with college degrees (46 percent), women (45 percent) and people with household incomes below $30,000 (45 percent).
Support for the Delaware River site varies little from one group to another. For more details, see the survey Appendix Table 2. Opposition to the Market Street East site, though widespread, is strongest among blacks and women (62 percent each).
The poll sample was not large enough to provide statistically-significant geographic breakdowns of the results.
Comments (46)
The equalityman is not surprised by this poll result. As a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, it has always been very clear to me that not only my beloved Fishtown community supports Sugarhouse but Philadelphia as well. This poll just confirms it. The CasinoFree people have done a fair job with their anti-casino message. They are very aggressive and probably well funded. I continue to urge them in the spirit of transparency to disclose their list of donors so the public can see if they are being funded by any Atlantic City casino interests.— equalityman- I hope people from the Administration are reading this. The Market East location is not the slam dunk they think it is. The people that like that idea the most are them, the Governor, and some major campaign contributors. Stop shoving a casino a block from Chinatown in one direction, and two blocks from Independence Hall in another, down our throats, please.— anodyne
- bull****— nugget
- It's time the CasiNO people shut up and stop trying to speak for all Philadelphians.. because they don't. And I too would be interested to see their list of doners. Somebody is funding these loudmouths.— Chr
- I support the casinos as well. This city needs revenue and new jobs desperately and we have run out of options. The Market East idea scares me just because of traffic congestion but if not there then where? Put another on the river?
- The equalityman went third person on himself, nice— adamsarcia
- The ONLY reason our local gov't is supporting this is because they are so strapped for revenue but I can't see why any resident of the city would want casinos within its limits. There has to be a better way.— Phillies
- Last Thursday there was a Phillies day game and Columbus Blvd was a standstill from IKEA to Girard for 2.5 hours after the game. I-95 was also jammed solid in that area. If the Casino was built behind the Home Depot, this type of traffic would become the norm, and god forbid you combine Casino, rush hour, and or a sporting event. I live in that neighborhood and I never cared about the potential crime, parking, ugliness, etc. The obvious problem from day one was traffic. To choke off the commercial commerce in that neighborhood would be counterproductive at best. Center City seems equally silly for similar reasons. If casinos are a magnet, why put them in neighborhoods that are already thriving?— pagoda
Comment removed.- The survey results are not surprising. Anyone who would oppose these job creating revenue generators in the poor ecconomic times that currently exist can not have the best intrest of Philadelphia in mind.— Unpretentious
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
To Chr: So, do you speak for all of Philadelphia? The casino's are a joke and it's amazing that nobody here questions why FACT is funded by Sugarhouse and supposedly speaks for Fishtown. FACT is only interested in getting jobs for themselves and their families. Maggie-O is selling out Fishtown for her own gain.- I was on I-95 at about 4:30 pm last Thursday. I believe that the congestions was a result of several factors (rush hour, the Phillies game, Penn relay's). A Phillies game alone usually doesn't cause such sever traffic problems as those seen last week.— Unpretentious
- To Fishtown Yo: How dare you attack FACT and its leader. FACT is by far (six times over) the the largest membership organization in Fishtown. FACT represents the will of the community and serves many needy causes in the neighborhood. The equalityman is very disappointed with the libelous comments submitted by FishtownYo.— equalityman
Pagado The Las Vegas Strip has bumper to bumper traffic which brings $42 BILLION dollars of ancillary spending with it.Every city should strive for traffic. Rendell had the right idea bookend Casinos(not slot shacks) on the River and watch it blossom into a hybrid of the Vegas Strip and Chicagos Lakefront.This city has some seriously flawed DNA seemingly incapable of doing anything right. FRom turning the Schuylkill into an industrial nightmare, placing the sewage treatment plant at the Gateway of the city, and being the last city in the usa to discover in the year 2009 that a fresh water river 80 miles from the Ocean should probably be used for living and recreation instead of being a working river. Unbelievable.— argonne- You are crazy if you think the State or the Casino was going to pay for traffic improvements- at least not until the mayhem was insurmountable.— pagoda
Build baby Build! Jobs, it's the economy stupid.- "fresh water river 80 miles from the Ocean should probably be used for living and recreation instead of being a working river. Unbelievable." Right you are, and not sure how Casinos benefit living and recreation. Unbelievable.— pagoda
- Why would people be more against a slots parlor on Market Street. Can anyone think of the reasons? (I see no difference between the two sites and I'm against casinos anywhere in Philly. But I am interested as to why some people see the two sites differently.) Please post freely about anyone's idea on this.— NotADoneDeal
- To equalityman: How dare you attack Casino free Philadelphia any chance you get. I've lived in Fishtown for a very long time and I've never seen anything accomplished by Fact other than be mouthpieces for Sugarhouse. Do you sponsor nieghborhood clean ups? Do you help out with zoning issues? Do you do anything not related to casinos? I reside on Marlborough st on riverside and have a direct interest in seeing Sugarhouse relocated. We get enough traffic on our street without the casino.
- Here's the problem with this logic: Center City is a business district, and casinos are businesses. Also, there's plenty of mass transit (Septa, Patco, NJT, etc.) already going to Center City, people wouldn't need to park down there. Putting it in Fishtown surrounded by a sea of parking does nothing but hurt the surrounding community. Ask the neighbors around the Sports Complex what the stadiums have done for their neighborhoods. Having the Fishtown casino in the way it's presented now hurts the PennPraxis model for what the riverfront needs to become. You can't justify all that open green space for parks and recreation when you have, right next to one of the older parks on the river, a concrete landscape. Center City is the only appropriate place for the casinos that need to be built. Yes to casinos, no to riverfront ones.— EaglesFanInStPete
- To FishtownYo: FACT and New Kensington CDC spent over one year negotiating a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with Sugarhouse. This CBA addresses jobs for local residents, student internships, funding for community projects (not funding to FACT or NKCDC) and clear requiremnts imposed on SugarHouse to address quality of life issues e.g., no buse idling on streets etc. I also enjoyed myself at FACT Christmas and Easter parties and concerts at the Penn Senior Home. While other organizations elected not to participate in the CBA negotiations with SugarHouse and the City, they will be eligible to receive funds from the new Special Services District that was created by these two fine organizations. I applaude FACT and NKCDC for the fine work they have done.— equalityman
- FishtownYo, Do you know Maggie O? For the record, FACT is NOT FUNDED by SugarHouse and never will be. FACT is a group 600+ strong people who live in Fishtown and Northern Liberties. Who decided that people like you were going to speak for us! You need to learn to agree to disagree!— Fishtown54
- What EaglesFanInStPete said is correct as far as the Center City casino is concerned. Furthermore, the casino on Market East should be viewed as a way to augment nightlife in Philadelphia and anchor some redevelopment of the little stretch of Market East that is quieter than the rest. It should be viewed as something that people already staying in the hotels can easily access while here without having to use cars to get to. A walk or a very short cab ride will do the trick. Market Street is more than big enough to handle the traffic.— anon
- I've live in Philly for most of my life so don't speak on my account. I am against the casinos being here. There's been no transparency on the city's or state's part to provide valid impact studies for these casinos. It's annoying for you to talk like you're speaking on my account. TONS of people are against these casinos.— testedpatience
- Comment removed.
- Casinos make money one way, by winning. They win only one kind of money, from the people who play. So therefore Philadelphians who already are on a tight budget will then lose money to the casino and in turn the city will use 40% of this casino income to reduce the budget. While the onwers, none of which live in Philly and will never set foot into these places, take home 60% of money from people who can ill afford it. You think times are tough now? Wait until the Casinos are open. The jobs being created will pay $7.00 an hour, before taxes, that is assuming these employees dont gamble. See Detroit. The only other major city with casinos as your blueprint.— Sports4Life
- Comment removed.
I'm disappointed to hear how careless so many people are in their willingness to allow a predatory business to proliferate in Philadelphia. Please research the effects of casinos on communities in the US. By communities I mean counties, the crime that occurs within them, the rate of unemployment due to massive debts, etc... I get it... we need money in Philly. But if we look at the whole picture, or just look at Atlantic City, do we/you really think that bringing a corrupting institution into our already vulnerable city is going to "help"? Dig deep. You want your kids around the criminal element? We already have shootings at late-night clubs and venues... Machiavelli is laughing as our American way of life goes down the sh***ter.— Pluski- Unbelievable."Right you are, and not sure how Casinos benefit living and recreation". Think of them as entertainment options along a thriving riverfront. Humans being social creatures enjoy being around other people, large congregations of new people usually results in financial investment thats what makes Manhattan,Chicago,the Las Vegas Strip among the most coveted places in the usa. The landscape currently between Penns Port and Fishtown does not qualify as a place which is coveted. Riverfront casinos would have acted as a magnet and helped stimulate Philadelphias riverfront out of its 1950ish slumber— argonne
- Once again Casino Free stop trying to save me from the evils of gambling. Who asked you to be Big Brother? We don't need to be saved. As far as the Center City Site I think people are still a little intimidated by going downtown during evening hours. This was this way long before Casinos. As far as traffic take a ride u to Phila Race Track. Even with all of the construction, on most nights you can easily get in and out. This has only one main entrance on to Street Road. And guess what, they are raking in the money hand over fist, and Bensalem somehow has managed not to blow up, turn to salt, become a slum. They have so many jobs that they can't keep them filled, so please get off it and let it go.— DadofThree
- Tango- You obviously know nothing about this city. Columbus BLVD has always received stadium traffic because it dumps right onto Pattison Ave. Please think or look at a map before you make an arse of yourself. And BTW, your view of the neighborhood near the public housing must not be shared by most people based on the home values. Personally I am grateful of that public housing because it keeps away closed- minded jerks like yourself.— pagoda
- Casinos will not anchor development on the waterfront of market east. It is a myth that it will. No one will invest their hard earned money next to a money vacuum. It hasn't happened anywhere its been tried and it won't happen here. I am a little surprise that even after all the positive press the casinos get and the 100% support from all the local politicians that only 53% of the city thinks its a good idea. If only the truth about these predatory monsters were told, the city would be saved from a real big mess. It could also mean that the union members who seem to be so supportive of the projects simply don't live in the city so they weren't polled.— yes
- Hey Sports4Life, how about Paris, Monaco, Macau, Berlin, Hong Kong, Sydney, etc.? We're not modeling on failed attempts like Detroit; that's be financial ruin. Cities like those I listed are world-renowned for their beauty, financial stability, and yes, casinos. How is it that people don't think it can work here, but it works with little problems in those oft-romanticized locales? I personally think the ideas should be expanded from slot barns to full-fledged casinos to attract the affluent and famous - as the other cities I listed have done - but when done properly, they add to the city, not take it away. Price the low income people out from the get-go, and no one suffers from their presence; make table games $10/hand to start, start slots at $1, and watch the revenue come in. Comparing Philly to Detroit is nothing more than a scare tactic. You don't believe me on the above cities? Google it; and while you're at it, try Rio de Janeiro, Cairo, Barcelona...shall I continue?— EaglesFanInStPete
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Casinos are bad. Period. If the city & state not been bankrupt by democrats, we wouldn't even be considering such a horrible long term option. It is, we are, too bad.— Kaiser Sosa
- Casinos will be a net negative in jobs and tax revenue. I don't want to protect people from gambling, but I do want to protect our tax base from attack. It is a bad deal for the city and it will deter further development on the waterfront and market east.— yes
- What is not being reported is that there is a 3.5% margin of error, meaning that it could just as easily be 49.5 for and 44.5 against. The city should be able to vote on this.— yes
- Wow, I never thought somebody "from south philly" could know so little about their city / neighborhood. It's actually quite direct to take Columbus Blvd. Yes, you may pass warehouses and a dump or two, and IKEA, but there are NO TRAFFIC LIGHTS. If I-95 is a parking lot, most SMART people take Pattison to Columbus to 95 (there are at least 4 on-ramps between IKEA and Fishtown) Apparently there are more smart people now than the artery can handle. Come down to Columbus Blvd. tomorrow night before the Sixers game. You'll see heavy traffic heading south. FYI- Google map directions from The Moshulu to Citizens Bank Park says to take Columbus to Pattison. You better tell them they are wrong.— pagoda
- Oh, and BTW, Pattison Avenue becomes Columbus Blvd. Don't know what you're talking about with I-76 / Front Street YOU DOPE!— pagoda
- First, $14MM of the city's $26MM goes to policing alone. That's just the tip of the iceberg of the casino costs. As for tax relief...you Fishtown FACT lackeys...your property tax is going up 19% and your sales tax 1%. You're going to be in the hole while Rendell's cronies get rich. Last, I can't wait to see the look on the TYPICAL Fishtowners' face when 60% of the SugarHouse employees are minorities. I mean...considering Fishtown's past...this will be the irony of ironies. I mean, it's hilarious to think that Fishtowners think they're going to have the inside track to any jobs. But you can be sure that the Fishtown FACT leadership will be rewarded with over-paid post-retirement jobs waiting for them. Did anyone think they were doing this for community service...because they LOVE Fishtown so much. Yeah right, kay, sure. FACT jobs are akin to bribes...legal...but typical dirty Philly politics. Just watch...just watch Fishtowners. Soon, you will see you have been sold out. it will be too late to do anything. Enjoy your traffic jams, drunk driving, pollution, and property crime.— rbpeeple
- Equality man...first, one of the 600 ribbons FACT brags about was on an vacant rental property on my block. Second, the FNA has far more than 100 members. You FACT people exaggerate your membership #'s...and distort the support the casinos have in Fishtown. You are liars and pawns of the SugarHouse owners. I'd like to see M.O. and M.M. and the rest of the FACT lleadership PROMISE to not take a job from SugarHouse. Only then will I believe the altruism they preach. The FACT leaders are no better than Johnny Doc...who sold out his neighbors in Pennsport in favor of his wallet and his union when he pushed for Foxwoods in S. Philly.— rbpeeple
- As a proud member of Fishtown Action, over 600 of our Residents have sign up to encourage good planning and appropriate services be provided to our community by SugarHouse, which we (over the last 3 years) have proved to be a reliable partner. Fishtown overwhelmingly supports SugarHouse. Very sweet it's underway.— FishTownForever
1
Popular Posts
About this blog
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. E-mail tips to brennac@phillynews.com
Follow Chris on Twitter
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
Follow Dave on Twitter.
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. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
Follow Jan on Twitter
Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
Follow Sean on Twitter
Follow Chris on Twitter
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
Follow Dave on Twitter.
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. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
Follow Jan on Twitter
Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
Follow Sean on Twitter
Search this blog:
Blog Roll
Classifieds:
Site Services:
Partners: