|
Philly
Still Fighting Slot Machines
Two casinos have gotten permission from
the Gaming Control Board to build in
Philadelphia. The SugarHouse will build
their casino in Fishtown, and Foxwoods
will come to South Philadelphia.
However, the residents of Philly are not
so happy about the Gaming Control
Board’s decision. They want the
locations of the slot machine casinos
changed, and they are fighting the state
to get their way.
Residents of Philly want the slot
machine casinos located in the
industrial areas, and want a limit on
how close they can be to churches,
playgrounds, schools, and neighborhoods.
They were planning on voting on it on a
referendum that was slated to go on the
May 15th ballot. However, the state
Supreme Court stepped in and put an
injunction on that referendum, and is
not allowing the city to do so.
The city is outraged that the Gaming
Control Board would have the right to
ruin their town, and that the residents
don’t have the right to try and stop
them. The Gaming Control Board says that
the citizens are acting inappropriately
and that they have the right to “seek
this action on behalf of all
commonwealth citizens who have long
awaited the benefits of legalized
gaming, including property-tax relief.”
However, what if those citizens don’t
want the casinos in their towns? It
seems that it doesn’t really matter.
What does seem to matter is the amount
of money that the state is poised to
make from these two casinos. Because
their citizens have spoken, and they
have said they don’t want the casinos
where they board is putting them, yet
the board is still trying to put them
where they want. It is not an
unreasonable request to not have a
casino within 1,500 feet of a house,
school or church – but the Gaming Board
just doesn’t care.
Back to Monthly
Archive //
Main Slot Machine News Index
 |