Artist's rendering of the proposed SugarHouse slots mecca.
My column today about the community benefits agreement signed by SugarHouse casino focused on an intriguing point made by Maggie O'Brien, president of Fishtown Action (FACT), a pro-casino advocacy group.
FACT enthusiastically supports SugarHouse, which in December 2006 was granted a license by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to operate a slots parlor on the N. Delaware Ave. site of the old Jack Frost sugar refinery.
As reported by PhillyClout on Nov. 20th, SugarHouse just signed a juicy community benefits agreement with FACT and the New Kensington CDC, even though it's not certain that SugarHouse will rise on the site at all, given how opposition to the proposed locales of both Sugar house and Foxwoods (the other casino granted a license to operate here) have held up construction.
Maggie contends that, had SugarHouse been up and running by now (or close to it), as was originally intended, the CBA might be helping the neighborhood fund its soon-to-close library, pool and fire services.
What's startling to me is how FACT's membership has grown since I wrote about the group's start-up.
FACT's members now number 600 - which is three times the size it was when I wrote a follow-up column about the group - and many, many times the size of the Fishtown Neighbors association, which opposes SugarHouse.
Makes me wonder how much bigger FACT might balloon, given that the country is now, officially, in recession.
Might more Fishtowners start saying "yes" to Sugarhouse, which remains eager to build in Fishtown, hire locals for its jobs and fund a Special Servcies disitrct there with up to $1.5 million per year?
If the group gets much bigger, might it become a political force to be recokned with?
Posted by Ronnie Polaneczky @ 2:42 PM
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36 comments
Ronnie, Most FACT members do not live close to the site, many do not even live in Fishtown. Only 10-15 people showed up at the meeting where the CBA was voted on. It's like SugarHouse signed an agreement with itself! A real and enforceable -- not fairy tale land -- Special Services District requires action by both the State legislature and City Council. You're deluded or unbelievably naive if you think that a $1.5 million CBA is "juicy" or would begin to cover the ills that a casino would unleash on the community. The increased police protection alone is estimated to cost $6 million. Really sad lack of insight into a very complex issue. Even the Sunday Inquirer's editorial acknowledged the downside:
". . . But at the end of the day, it remains to be seen whether the decision to legalize slots gambling will have a positive economic impact on the state or be a net negative. Just look at Atlantic City, where 30 years of casinos has done little to change the broader economy there. The social ills of gambling - including increased bankruptcy, crime and divorce - are a real cost that undermine the benefits of the added tax revenue. Given that those hit the hardest are the poor and elderly, gambling's ills will be especially acute once the slots parlors open in Philadelphia, where there is a high concentration of both demographics. . ."
At best, Fishtown is split down the middle. In NoLibs, which borders SugarHouse on Frankford Avenue, they are overwhelmingly against SugarHouse. The tide has not turned. On my block in Fishtown, there are 20 houses...and 3 pro-SugarHouse red bows (FACT says bows = members)...and one of the bows was on a rental property that has been empty for over year. From the SugarHouse website: "02/05/08
Fishtown is SEEING RED! More than 600 homeowners in the Fishtown neighborhood—where the future SugarHouse casino will be located—now have large red bows hanging from their doors, signifying their anger over delay tactics by certain politicians and anti-casino activists who don't speak for the majority of Fishtowners." Funny how the "600 member" number was the same in February 2008 and December 2008...but the group is growing?!?! Doesn't make sense, Ronnie.
How the heck is the community going to save the library, firehouse and pool, when the city cant? Where's the money to come from? The CBA? Then what about our neighborhood getting cleaned? Oops, no more money!
I live very close to the site, just off Girard Ave. It's filthy! Nutter's promise of a clean city went to heck. It's actually quite embarrassing when friends come over. I do my part every day and pick up trash I see. I thought the CBA was to benifit us, the whole community, not just special interests.
I would feel better about this whole thing if no member of FACT or thier relatives had any say abou where the money is spent.
Ronnie, why didn't you mention that FACT is a pro-Sugarhouse group funded by Sugarhouse, most of the members are not from Fishtown or haven't lived here in years.
Wake up people, casinos did not save AC, New Orleans, Detroit or Chester, why on earth would it save Philly, yet alone Fishtown?
Wonder what sweet casino jobs Maggie O'Brien and the rest of FACT get?
No. Casi-NO.
There's no doubt that with the country in recession, the lure of fast and easy money becomes more acute - but only for people who don't do their research. It may have been fair to register interest in the supposed growth of FACT (although the posts above challenge that), but it's not really very responsible to let O'Brien's completely unfounded speculation go unchallenged. Most research points to the fact that casinos, and especially slots, have dramatic costs, and many studies point to overall net losses in jobs and revenues.
Actually there were about 30 people at the November meeting had the "reporter" from the Star looked at the sign in sheet--also FACT members had already been given the information on the CBA at each and every previous meeting and enthusiastically supported the signing of the CBA. How many people were at the NLNA meeting to vote against talking to SugarHouse? TWENTY FIVE tops
NorthernLibertine--exactly how is it that you know where FACT members live?
YES over 600 residents of Fishtown, Northern Liberties & Olde Richmond do belong to FACT. The truth is hard for the casiNO people to swallow so you would rather fantasize.
I had the opportunity to review the addresses of FACT's membership and it is clear to me that well over 90% of itas 600+ members reside in Fishtown. The Mayor continues to spend hunderds of thousands of taxpayer dollars fighting the development of the SugarHouse casino that will bring over 1300 jobs with health benefits and significant tax revenue to the City. I was an early supporter of Mayor Nutter but boy was I worng.
It is sad that the casiNO folks have to bad mouth the hard working people who created and support Fishtown ACTION (FACT). You people have no idea who they are. They are hard working people from the FISHTOWN community who have more volunteer hours than you can imagine. Instead, of fighting with them you should have joined them to make sure our community gets the best darn CBA around. Opps! too late, we got the BEST DARN CBA!
It is sad and shameful that a bunch of people from Fishtown have been bought off by promises from a Chicago billionaire and are now representing his interests instead of those of their neighbors. FACT ("Facts According to Casino Topdogs") is a Sugarhouse funded and sponsored organization. Its agreement with SH is laughable, unenforceable and irrelevant (as the other poster says, it is like SH negotiated an agreement with itself).
Jlemm if you call one million dollars per year to a community, an internship program and all of the other items in the CBA LAUGHABLE--I would love to live where you live--which by the way is NOT Fishtown. And Rbpeeple why don't you worry about what is going on in YOUR neighborhood--which is NOT Fishtown.
What is really sad that jlemm tells nothing but BOLD FACED LIES!!! FACT is not a front for Sugar House. Do you know any of these people from FACT, really??? You need to get your FACTS STRAIGHT!!!
As a proud Fishtown resident I oppose harming the people of our neighborhood by building a slot parlor here. Many of my fellow Fishtown neighbors feel the same. I will not sell our neighborhood down the river for promises of money from Neil Bluhm (who by the way doesn't live in Fishtown).
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Daniel Hunter does not live in Fishtown either nor do the "leaders" of Casino Free and ALL OF THE RESIDENTS I know SUPPORT SUGAR HOUSE
I am a member of FACT. I reside in Fishtown. I previously resided in another home in Philadelphia which was also in Fishtown. It is time that building permits be granted and Sugarhouse begin operation. The positives outweigh any negatives of this casino. With the state of the economy and the budget cuts in Philadelphia, Sugarhouse is just what the city needs at this time to offset the detriments of these budget cuts. Wake up CasiNO folks, the time is now for Sugarhouse!
I've been involved with FACT from the beginning... we started out small, but quickly grew to 600+ members. Why? Because the community has come to realize that we have all been written off by the City Administration, community services are virtually nonexistent. The only time we see the Streets Department do anything in a timely manner is when their "Brown Shirts" are in the neighborhood writing citations on people's properties. When was the last time a street sweeper truck or even a water truck came thru the neighborhood? The School Board closed the libraries in our neighborhood schools because the Fishtown branch was so highly utilized... now the City is not only closing the library, but busting a gut to sell the property as quick as it can. There are two swimming pools in the neighborhood, both of which are highly used in the summer. Is the City closing one and leaving our kids one... NO, to h**l with Fishtown's kids, let's close them both. I won't even talk about the Engine 6 situation; if Comm. Ayers was sitting on a stack of Bibles I would seriously doubt any report coming out of his office... he has taken following the party line to an all new low. Get the SugarHouse project rolling, bring the much needed jobs to our neighborhood, bring the much needed community improvement money to our neighborhood.
Once again, we FACT members are slandered by the self-serving overwhelming minority who does not back this casino. Once again, I will state: I have never received a job offer and would not accept one. Furthermore, FACT has also been most vocal in protesting the firehouse, library and pool closings. Not once was the casino mentioned in these meetings. FACT stands for Fishtown Action, which is not in the vocabulary of liars that sit on the sideline and cry.
I live in the immediate area and I know maybe 3 people who are "against" casinos in Philadelphia. Everyone else is either in favor or doesn't care. Granted, I do run with a seedy crowd.
Go Fishtown Mom. Jlemm does not live in Fishtown. (I've invited her to identify her home many times and she hides in the shadows. We, of FACT, stand proudly in the light. WHY? Because we have 600+ people who will stand with us in this process. Happily, serious folks have investigated FACT and it's leadership and see: 1, they are for real, 2, they have lived here for years and 3, their number is 600+. I could not be more proud of this brave group of proud Fishtowners. While the city falls apart in deficits; while the "concerned folks" have not a clue about how to stem the bleeding, FACT members not only fight for FISHTOWN but do so with the wisdom and skill which, over the years, has preserved this community from the ruin which has come upon other struggling Philadelphia Communities. I could not be more proud of this out and public leaders and members. (Keep hiding Jlemm!) The darkness and anonymity serves you well.
For Lefist Smasher to think the the Fishtown Rec Center doesn't have toilet paper, soap or basic services, due to ANYTHING that Barney Frank and Chris Shay did or not do.......well, you draw your own conclusions. Is there corruption? Sure. What is "leftist Shasher" doing about it? And dear uninformed reader. FACT members know one another like peas in a pod: Meaning, we have lived here for years and know one another. To think that you can announced our association as false is laughable at best. We know one another. We know our leaders. We know their dedicatiion, values and goals. (I suggest you research the history of the "anti" folks. You might be surprised at their recent relocations, paid associations and their financial supporters.)
From a letter of Fishtown Action (14 July 2008) that was sent to Governor Rendell, State Representative Dwight Evans, State Senator Vincent J. Fumo, and to the City of Philadelphia’s delegation of State Legislators as well as Philadelphia’s City Council, Fishtown Action states that they have “over 600 members,” the “largest membership organization in the Fishtown community,” and thus this warrants them to be included in the reciting meetings and discussions that are proposed by Governor Rendell, government officials, and the casino executives. Click here for a copy of the letter: http://www.planphilly.com/files/FACTlettertoRendell7.14.08.pdf
Fishtown Action also stated in this letter that, “The former Jack Frost Refinery site is a blighted, unsightly lot that has been vacant for 20 years.” Fishtown Action fails to mention that the longtime owners of the property, LHTW, purposefully sat on the property since the mid 1990’s waiting for casino gambling to come to Philadelphia. Attached to Fishtown Action’s letter of 14 July 2008, Fishtown Action includes twelve pages of petitions signed presumably by its members or supporters. However, upon close examination of the twelve pages of petitions, there is nowhere near “600” plus signatures.
(a continuation of above post)If you are sending a petition to all the elected officials wouldn’t you want to put your best foot forward? Wouldn’t you have all the members sign the petition? The fact is that there are only 191 signatures on the petitions. These 191 signatures actually make up only 121 homes. Of these 121 homes, 25 of them are not even within the neighborhood of Fishtown.Some of these 25 houses outside of Fishtown are as far away as the Far Northeast, Fox Chase, Juniata, Torresdale, Holmesburg, Tacony, and South Philadelphia. Eliminating these 25 houses eliminates 30 signatures, thus bringing the signature list down to only 161 signatures from 96 homes, a very small proportion of the inhabitants of Fishtown, The U.S. Population Census of 2000 (the most recent U.S. figures) has the Fishtown population at about 10,000 people. Having 161 signatures out of 10,000 inhabitants would appear to be very miniscule.
(a continuation of above post)If you are sending a petition to all the elected officials wouldn’t you want to put your best foot forward? Wouldn’t you have all the members sign the petition? The fact is that there are only 191 signatures on the petitions. These 191 signatures actually make up only 121 homes. Of these 121 homes, 25 of them are not even within the neighborhood of Fishtown.Some of these 25 houses outside of Fishtown are as far away as the Far Northeast, Fox Chase, Juniata, Torresdale, Holmesburg, Tacony, and South Philadelphia. Eliminating these 25 houses eliminates 30 signatures, thus bringing the signature list down to only 161 signatures from 96 homes, a very small proportion of the inhabitants of Fishtown, The U.S. Population Census of 2000 (the most recent U.S. figures) has the Fishtown population at about 10,000 people. Having 161 signatures out of 10,000 inhabitants would appear to be very miniscule.
You know what they say Anthony? A picture is worth a thousand words
http://www.sugarhousecasino.com/news/neighborhood_gallery.php
Hey Anthony call Councilman DiCicco and ask how many post cards his office received from FACT members last year? I dare you
Most of FACT is just dealing with the fact that they were a Sugarhouse funded organization from get go. First SH used them to split the neighborhood. And now SH used them to "negotiate" an unenforceable and laughable agreement with itself.
the CasiNO folks want to save me from myself. The SugarHouse has not broken any rules. They should be going after the state legislators. I know the kind of people the CasiNO people are. They vote every four years in the Presidential election and believe they have fulfilled their civic duties. They also tell everybody about research and studies but give no reference to check for ourselves. The CasiNO people are loud mouth, obnoxious "no it alls" who believe that if you want the casino built you're getting paid.
Unenforceable? We will see who has the last laugh Jlemm. It is a shame that you do not know the FACTS. The only group that split the neighborhood was the FNA if not for their actions there would not be a FACT.
Jlemm is not a "proud Fishtown Member." If she were, she'd attend Fishtown Action Meetings with are made of up 100% Fishtown Folk. Jlemm is clearly a newcomer to Fishtown (if she even LIVES here) who is on the anti-casino payroll. What's ur name Jlemm? I am on the leadership committee and our names are available to you. Your name please. Listen, the anti-Casino folks are late-comers to Fishtown and they'll come as soon as they leave. TRUE Fishtown (life-long) folks support SugarHouse. jlame and her ilfe hide in the shadows and pretend to be Fishtowners. Soon you'll be gone. Sugarhouse will (hopefully) not abandon us and be up and running and as quickly as you came, (Hopefully) you'll be gone. Jlame, you are a joke and a laugh to true life-long Fishtown Folk. For Godsake, move on. How aboue Bella Vista.
Jlemm is not a "proud Fishtown Member." If she were, she'd attend Fishtown Action Meetings with are made of up 100% Fishtown Folk. Jlemm is clearly a newcomer to Fishtown (if she even LIVES here) who is on the anti-casino payroll. What's ur name Jlemm? I am on the leadership committee and our names are available to you. Your name please. Listen, the anti-Casino folks are late-comers to Fishtown and they'll come as soon as they leave. TRUE Fishtown (life-long) folks support SugarHouse. jlame and her ilfe hide in the shadows and pretend to be Fishtowners. Soon you'll be gone. Sugarhouse will (hopefully) not abandon us and be up and running and as quickly as you came, (Hopefully) you'll be gone. Jlame, you are a joke and a laugh to true life-long Fishtown Folk. For Godsake, move on. How aboue Bella Vista.
Jlemm is NOT a proudn Fishtown resident. She is a new-comer with no Fishtown Roots.
Jlemm is NOT a proudn Fishtown resident. She is a new-comer with no Fishtown Roots.
GO! Leftist Smasher. FACT members have liver here forever and those who haven't support those who have. The phonies who say they are
"proud Fishtown residnets" are jokes among us. They moved here recently to "invest." I challenge, invite, encourage even ONE of them to come out. The names of FACT members (600 of us) are freely available.)
GO! Leftist Smasher. FACT members have liver here forever and those who haven't support those who have. The phonies who say they are
"proud Fishtown residnets" are jokes among us. They moved here recently to "invest." I challenge, invite, encourage even ONE of them to come out. The names of FACT members (600 of us) are freely available.)
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Ronnie Polaneczky has been an award-winning columnist for The Philadelphia Daily News since 1999, offering a front-steps perspective on every aspect of city life, from the sublime to the stupid. In her past life, she was the editor-in-chief of Atlantic City Magazine, associate editor at Philadelphia Magazine and a fulltime freelancer published in Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Reader's Digest, Men's Health, MarieClaire and others. She lives with her husband, daughter, two dogs and two cats in the city's Fairmount section, where she dreams at night of one day singing The National Anthem at an Eagles game. In addition to her column and blog, you can enjoy Ronnie's musings in podcast form here.
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