Casino-Free Phila. Says "Not Us" On SugarHouse Vandalism
Someone crept onto the 22-acre SugarHouse casino construction site last night or this morning and slashed the hydraulics lines on heavy equipment -- a bulldozer, crane, back hoe and dump truck -- after the project's investors held their ground-breaking ceremony yesterday. Workers discovered the damage when they reported at 6:30 a.m. for work and spent a couple of hours making repairs.
Someone crept onto the 22-acre SugarHouse casino construction site in Fishtown last night or this morning and slashed the hydraulics lines on heavy equipment -- a bulldozer, crane, back hoe and dump truck -- after the project's investors held their ground-breaking ceremony yesterday. Workers discovered the damage when they reported at 6:30 a.m. for work and spent a couple of hours making repairs.
"Construction didn't stop," said SugarHouse spokeswoman Leigh Whitaker, who put the tab for repairs at under $5,000. "We were back in business in a couple of hours."
Casino-Free Philadelphia held a loud rally with about 50 protesters during yesterday's event, using bull horns to try to drown out remarks by the investors and guests like Mayor Nutter and Councilman Frank DiCicco. The group today said it had no role in the vandalism. Here's the group's statement:
"Casino-Free Philadelphia first learned about vandalism at the SugarHouse property from a news website this afternoon. We were not involved with this incident in any way. While we have always advocated for the voice of the people to be heard through legal, democratic means of expression, we are a group that practices nonviolence and we have never, nor will we ever, damage property and we condemn anyone who does."