Civic Groups Again Call For Casinos To Move
The Philadelphia Neighborhood Alliance is calling for quick passage of legislation in the state House and Senate that would essentially undo the long process of selecting the locations for two casinos in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Neighborhood Alliance is calling for quick passage of legislation in the state House and Senate that would essentially undo the long process of selecting the locations for two casinos in Philadelphia. State Sen. Vince Fumo, credited with creating the legislation that legalized casinos in the state, now backs efforts by neighborhood groups to get the propose SugarHouse casino out of Fishtown and the proposed Foxwoods casino out of South Philly. The House version is sponsored by state Representatives Bill Keller and Mike O'Brien. Keller voted for the 2004 casino legislation while O'Brien was chief of staff to a representative who also voted for it. The PNA describes itself as a coalition of 27 community groups representing 300,000 Philadelphians.
The legislation, introduced last week and supported by every state Senator from Philadelphia, would force the casinos to move to locations near the Philadelphia International Airport. If it comes up for a vote in the General Assembly, the legislation still faces long odds. SugarHouse and Foxwoods, after spending millions on plans for their locations, have no interest in moving. Developers for both casinos would likely sue to fight the legislation. State law sends all casino lawsuits directly to the state Supreme Court, which has so far ruled for casino developers in the many previous lawsuits filed by groups who object to the locations.