State Sen. Larry Farnese and State Rep. Mike O'Brien just put out this news release about today's ruling by the state Gaming Control Board about the Foxwoods casino:
HARRISBURG, Aug. 28 – State Rep. Mike O'Brien and Sen. Larry Farnese today chided the state gaming control board for granting the Foxwoods casino developers a two-year extension on their slots license and insisting they get the casino up and running at its originally proposed location on Columbus Boulevard in South Philadelphia.
The board approved the extension at a public hearing in Harrisburg today.
"It is improbable that Foxwoods will be up and running within 21 months at the Columbus Boulevard site," O'Brien said. "By granting this extension the board has failed in its fiduciary obligation to the people."
The lawmakers said the board stepped beyond its role by interfering with an agreement forged among Foxwoods developers, Gov. Ed Rendell, Mayor Michael Nutter and other lawmakers last year to have the casino move to another location in the city.
"Foxwoods agreed to move to a new location because the owners knew they had failed to alleviate the land use, infrastructure, transportation and safety concerns chronicled by lawmakers, including Mayor Nutter, local residents and businesses," Farnese said. "We were working toward a real plan that could provide sustainable revenues for the property tax and wage tax relief promised by casino gaming," added O'Brien.
Farnese and O'Brien said they also were troubled by the lack of public input at the hearing.
"This is a complete departure from what Foxwoods has been telling the public for the last year," Farnese said. "The gaming board should have held this hearing in Philadelphia and allowed the public to speak."
The proposed casino site is within the lawmakers' legislative districts. They said that while they appreciate the board's intent to see the original plan developed, they will continue to oppose this site and will stand with their constituents.