Mayor Breaks Multiple Promises Regarding Casino Development in Philadelphia

For Immediate Release

At a City Hall press conference this afternoon, Mayor Nutter stated that there are “no barriers” to the construction of two casinos at their desired locations in the city. This announcement, along with his statement on Tuesday that he would like to see the two proposed casinos “get up as quickly as possible,” signal his administration’s complete reversal on the slot parlor issue. It is a disheartening betrayal for any city resident who wants to hold a candidate to their word.

During the 2007 mayoral campaign, when Nutter was asked if he would “attempt to keep casinos from being built in Philadelphia,” he replied “yes.” The mayor elaborated in clear terms why he thought casinos were bad for the city in an April 2007 written response to a questionnaire submitted by a coalition of center-city civic groups.

“I do not support gambling as an economic development tool or as a way to fund ongoing government programs, no matter how worthy,” he wrote. “There is highly controversial evidence about whether the benefits are sustainable over time and whether those benefits exceed the substantial costs of gambling and the facilities that house it,” Nutter wrote.

If our city now faces a debt of historic proportions, why is Nutter endorsing an economic development tool that he so adamantly disapproved? “The mayor’s announcement today violates his own economic policy. Philadelphians deserve a clear explanation about who has gotten to him and why he has suddenly changed his mind,” said Paul Boni, attorney for Casino-Free Philadelphia. “They also deserve the fair and transparent planning process that the administration promised for the waterfront and Market East.”

Beyond concerns about the “substantial costs” that Nutter admitted casinos would bring, there is strong skepticism that SugarHouse and Foxwoods can even obtain the financing needed to build anytime this year. “To open the door for an industry suspected of facing bankruptcy is completely irresponsible,” said Casino-Free founder Jethro Heiko. “The mayor ought to reconsider his position immediately,” Heiko said.

The public has the opportunity to hear the facts regarding slots parlors at the second “Casinos and Citizenry” town hall next Wednesday, March 18. The meeting, part of Casino-Free’s Declaration of Independence from Casinos campaign, will take place at St. Michael’s Church, 4th Street & Fairmount Avenue (in Northern Liberties), 6:45 to 8:30 PM. All media are welcome.

Casino-Free Philadelphia's mission is to stop casinos from coming to Philadelphia and close any that open. The benefits of casinos can never outweigh the social and economic costs from an industry reliant on addiction to survive. Visit us online at www.CasinoFreePhila.org.

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