Philadelphia becomes largest U.S. city with a casino

Updated 8m ago
The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia took the title of largest U.S. city with a casino when Pennsylvania's 10th gambling hall opened this month despite years of community protests and delays.

SugarHouse Casino drew a raucous crowd of well over a thousand people last week to the Delaware River waterfront. They waited in the heat for more than an hour, some chanting "Let us in," before the doors opened and they got a chance to play among the 1,600 slot machines and 40 table games.

"SugarHouse is the place to be in Philadelphia," general manager Wendy Hamilton said.

Lawmakers and officials, in brief remarks before the opening, praised the creation of about 900 jobs and other economic benefits that came with the project. The business pushes Philadelphia (population 1.55 million) past Detroit (population 910,000) to become the nation's largest city with casino gambling.

If opening day was any indication, the casino will attract eager visitors. Traffic was snarled outside the casino and the parking lot was full as gamblers came by car, bus and taxi to try their luck.

"I feel it. Today's going to be a good day. I'm going to win something," said Lucinda Clark, 70, as she sat down at a John Wayne-themed slot machine.

The protesters haven't gone away. The grass-roots group Casino-Free Philadelphia held an opening-day protest and plans more as it tries to hurt business at the facility in the city's Fishtown/Northern Liberties neighborhood.

Members gathered outside SugarHouse before the grand opening and unveiled a mural depicting how they think the waterfront should look — without a casino. The mural was drawn by children who live in the neighborhood and included images of gardens and playgrounds.

Now that the casino has opened, the group plans to have volunteers regularly patrol the area in search of problems such as alcohol violations or kids being left in cars while their parents gamble — in hopes of shutting down SugarHouse, group spokesman Dan Hajdo said.

The status of a second casino planned for Philadelphia is in flux.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's enforcement division is working to revoke the license it issued to Foxwoods, which doesn't have the money to build right now, board spokesman Richard McGarvey said. Foxwoods has faced daily fines since failing to meet a December deadline to provide information about its financing, design and construction. But for now, state officials say they're happy to be moving forward with at least one Philadelphia casino.

So far, casinos have generated $4.3 billion in tax revenue across the state, with about 60% of that going to property and wage tax reductions, gaming board Chairman Gregory Fajt said. In Philadelphia, the city will get 4% of SugarHouse's gross revenue.

"It's going to be a real benefit to the city," he said. "They're going to be able to use that money however they want to use it."

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