Mayor Nutter: Foxwoods South Philly Site Bad For City & State

Mayor Nutter, angered that the state Supreme Court on Wednesday forced the city to approve zoning for a controversial riverfront casino in South Philly, told City Council today that he is exploring his options to fight back. "It is clear -- I want to be very direct about this -- it is clear that the proposed Foxwoods site is the wrong site for Philadelphia and for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," Nutter said, drawing cheers from anti-casino activists.

Nutter complained that the "long arm of the judicial branch has...snatched out this Council's will and ability and political responsibility" to consider the Foxwoods zoning.  Nutter spoke during the third of four scheduled Council hearings on the issue.  While the ruling might make that all moot, Nutter urged Council to continue gathering facts and putting them in the public record for later use.

City Councilman Bill Greenlee thanked Nutter for his willingness to fight but wondered what comes next. "The decision is the decision," Greenlee said of the Supreme Court. "Where do we go from here?"  Nutter was not ready to answer. "I think our options are varied," Nutter said. "The last time I checked, the 18 of us [the mayor and 17 Council members] are still in charge of the City of Philadelphia."