It's no secret that Philly's getting a new Casino in the near future. Six contenders remain in the race for one casino license, and in three weeks, the public hearings for the casinos will begin, It's worth mentioning that though most of the proposed casinos would go up on the outskirts of Center City, there are also two proposals that aim to take up space smack dab in the middle of the city.
All the developers in the running have included overblown language in their proposals about how their project will revolutionize gaming, Philadelphia, and the world. Developer hype aside, the three projects planned for locations in Center City truly would have a large impact on the character and commerce of the city as a whole. Take for instance, the Blastein group's French monstrosity, The Provence. Although it probably would bring lots of revenue to the city, renderings indicate that it would span at least 8 square city blocks (and probably more), right at the intersection of Broad and Callowhill, and it makes sense to wonder what kind of impact such a large resort would have on the character of the city.
Market 8, the other casino proposal with a central location also promises to take up significant space in the thick of Philadelphia's busiest commercial district. Though Market 8 seems more local friendly, with a plan that includes a lobby that "feels like a public space," it would still primarily be a casino. There are lots of questions to ask about the impact this would have on traffic and on local businesses. It's impossible to predict the exact impacts that either of these casinos would create, but it's certain that they would represent significant changes to the city.
While you're pondering the potential of a French Resort on Broad street, make sure you check out the proposal videos for the casinos. Production values range from shitty to pretty, but almost all of the videos contain real estate developers dancing frantically, music out of horror movies, and Philadelphia ass-kissing at its finest.
· New Video Details Development Plan for Market8 [Curbed Philly]
· CasinoWire [Eater Philly]
· Architect Paul Steelman Offers a Glimpse of Proposed Provence Entertainment Complex [Curbed Philly]
—Molly Webb
Loading comments...