Sugarhouse Gets OK To Testify About 2nd Proposed Casino License for Philadelphia
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Potential rival casino Sugarhouse has been granted "intervener" status as the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gets closer to a decision on Philadelphia's second casino license.
John Donnelly, a lawyer representing the Sugarhouse casino on Delaware Avenue, argued today for standing on the grounds that competition has increased greatly since the state's gambling law was passed.
"We're essentially being surrounded by competition," he said. "Ohio… all of these factor in. It's not a happy situation at all."
The board granted intervener status to Sugarhouse, to a synagogue on North Broad Street, and to two schools, which will allow all of them to submit their positions on the record -- and opens the door for them to have standing in any appeal of the board's licensing decision.
"Putting a synagogue in the mix of people that come and go from a casino -– it's bad news," said Larry Spector, representing Congregation Rodeph Shalom, at Broad and Mt. Vernon Streets, and the two schools concerned about Bart Blatstein's bid for a casino on North Broad Street.
