Just in case you forgot, Philly's getting a second casino. Today, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board settled in for a brutal 9 am to 9 pm schedule of testimony from experts and civilians alike. Although the hearings will continue into the evening, the board is currently on break, and we have the day's highlights here.
Both Senator Larry Farnese and Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger declined to pick a favorite proposal for the casino license: they emphasized that they wanted to work with all the developers to improve all the casino plans. Greenberger, who is handling the casino process for the mayor's office, explained that the city will make a recommendation to the PGCB about which proposal to license, but that for now, the city wanted to wait. Though Greenberger's feelings about casinos have been lukewarm in the past, he insisted that the city supports a second casino.
Also in attendance was a representative from our favorite group of snarkitects, who informed the PGCB that Market 8 was the Design Advocacy Group's favorite proposal, and that Wynn Philadelphia, as currently designed, would be "the biggest, flattest building in Philadelphia."
Though Wynn isn't getting rave reviews for the design of his casino, union representatives noted that his other casinos are basically fair employers who provide good benefits and wages. The union representatives were concerned about the other casinos, though, and urged the PGCB to consider what kinds of jobs each of the casinos would provide.
Unsurprisingly, many of the developers attempted to turn the hearings into a popularity contest by filling the room with friends and colleagues prepared to offer favorable testimony about their sterling characters. PHL Local Gaming, the developers behind Casino Revolution, went so far as to make matching shirts and hats for supporters to wear.
· A Day of Casino Testimony Underway [Plan Philly]
· Gaming Board Hearing Take 3 [Philly.com]
· Past Curbed Casino Coverage [Curbed Philly]