Hearings Continue Into Who Should Get Philadelphia's Remaining Casino License
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - More hearings are scheduled for today before the Pennsylvania Gaming Board, as they try to decide who will get Philadelphia's remaining casino license. Yesterday's session included testimony from two developers and opponents of one of the proposals.
These "suitability hearings" are the last chance for developers to show why their proposals are superior to the others. For Penn National, who went first, spokeswoman Karen Bailey says their 700 Packer Avenue proposal is a "sure thing".
"If you give it to us, we're going to build it. We don't have to worry about our financing, we know what we're doing and we have a track record to prove it."
Next came Provence, proposed for the old Inquirer building, which projects the highest revenues and more new gamblers. But Provence also had to deal with neighborhood opponents, who argued its traffic and parking projections were inadequate.
Developer Bart Blatstein will get a chance to respond.
"We're comfortable with our numbers, we're comfortable with our plan."
The Board also will hear about a casino proposed for East Market St. and two more proposed for South Philly, and also from Sugarhouse casino, which wants no new competition.
