The city has announced who won the right to bring slots to Philly. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board awarded two Philadelphia licenses to groups led by billionaire developer Neil G. Bluhm and by Connecticut-based Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/16282858.htm One on Columbus Blvd. One on North Delaware Avenue at Shackamaxon Street.
Since the reason they brought slots into PA was to help pay for the new arena in Pittsburgh. Maybe if a ownership group steps forward in Philly, they could use this to help pay for a SSS. Not sure if this has been discussed before.
Not surprised at all that Foxwood won, but I am surprised that Trump didn't. BTW check out the maps here for exact locations. http://www.phillyimc.org/media/static/casino_maps.html
I know this is a philly based forum but what does everyone think of the isle of capri losing out on a license?
From reading the articles based in Pitt, it looks like there are still options out there. Several investors willing to keep the team there, long term. Even the winning casino said they would work with the Pens to build something. I don't think Pen fans need to jump off the ledge just yet.
Last article I read, have to see if I can find the link. But they were going to break ground on new areana next June. I was under the impression that the funds were coming from a tax on the slot machine proceeds and part of the license fees and not from a specific company. So all of us soccer fans from the pop side of the state, hope yunz soda drinkers can get a SSS and a team.
Sorry, I had missed all of the recent news in the last couple of days. Most of what I posted was no longer correct.
Poor Trump, first he loses his casino bid in Philly, now he has to take it from Rosie. Bad week Donnie!
i cant believe that story is getting so much press...seriously, you know its a slow news day when everyone is talking about a rosie odonnel and donald trump "fued"
There are potential investors but only one wants to keep the team in Pittsburgh. I was actually happy when Basille (sp) backed out. That guy was never going to keep the team in Pittsburgh. The "winning casino" agreed to 7.5mil for 30 years to the Pens for a stadium. Problem is that's 225mil over 30 years. If the Pens took a loan out to cover that they could never make the interest payments. The city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County already said that they could give no money because there is none to give. It's looking more and more like a bad thing coming in Pittsburgh. I am here now and am going to the Pens games tomorrow and Friday. People here are excited about the team but not with the long term prospects. I am just appalled, as a tax payer in this state, that the one prospective casino owner who was actually going to give something back to the community didn't get the license. Building these slot parlors is basically a license to print money. Nevermind the moral implications that the people going to the parlors are usually fixed income seniors. I am usually a Rendell apologist but in this case he sucks. If it was the Flyers potentially moving from Philly he would have stepped in and done something about it but for Pittsburgh he does nothing. Atleast he can still do the Eagles Post Game on CSN. Anyway I am rambling. Go Eagles and screw slot parlors.
In light of this thread, I'm wondering about one of the rejected sites.... the "Riverwalk Casino" location at Spring Garden and Columbus Blvd is only a few blocks from the SugarHouse Casino and is in a prime location -- near center city, off of I-95, close to the Ben Franklin Brigde and it's on the waterfront. Is there any possibility that this site could be potentially used for a SSS?
Absolutely. But we have not heard any news out of any of the usual sources giving us any more info then our speculations here. Great idea though!
those areas along the river up near center city just seem as though they would be WAY too expensive for a project such as this.
i think it's still impractical. don't get me wrong it would be great to have the ground so close to the city... it would be great for prematch festivities.
even though the sites located on the river side of columbus blvd/delaware ave are not technically located in any of the various neighborhoods themselves, so they don't officially fall under the relevant neighborhood associations' jurisdictions, many of the developments in the past (like Dockside for example) have gone, out of courtesy, to the neighborhood association meetings to present their proposals. i know for a fact that the developer and architect for Dockside worked with QVNA (Queen Village Neighborhood Association). i attended the presentation for Dockside 2, and even though they were happy with it at the time, many/most are not fond of the ship-like building now. would a SSS along the riverfront, especially up near spring garden, be an incredible addition to philly's waterfront? definitely. and i could even see it getting done eventually, but not after there's a lot of give-and-take with whatever neighborhood association(s) up there would be involved.