Wynn Interrupted By Protests At State Gaming Control Board

Steve Wynn, the billionaire casino innovator, was just cut off by a Casino-Free Philadelphia protester as he started speaking.  "We do not want you in our city," said the woman, who identified herself as Andrea Preis. "Please go back to Las Vegas. We do not welcome you."

Police escorted her out of the building as other protesters cheered.  Wynn resumed and another protester started interrupting him, reading from a script.  Gaming Control Board Chairman Greg Fajt repeatedly warned the protesters that they could not interrupt the meeting and then called a break.

Wynn seemed to take it all in stride.  "Usually it takes people a few days after they know me to not like me," Wynn joked to the board."

The meeting resumed and more protesters stood to interrupt.  Fajt warned that they would be arrested, while Casino-Free Philadelphia attorney Paul Boni stood and claimed that was incorrect.  "You'll be next," Fajt, asking an officer to escort Boni out.  Boni then spoke to the officer and was allowed to remain in the room as more protesters were being led out.,

Wynn Resorts announced last week that it had signed a letter of intent to become the managing general partner for the stalled South Philly casino project known as Foxwoods. It will be the fifth casino company to control the site since 1995. A group of local investors partnered in 2005 with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which runs two casinos under the Foxwoods brand in Connecticut. They paid $64.7 million for the land, with the local investors taking a 70 percent share and the tribe taking a 30 percent share. Those shares are expected to shrink, with Wynn taking at least a 51 percent stake for his new role.