Casino-Free Philadelphia - Press Release
March 28, 2007 * www.CasinoFreePhila.org

Contact:
Daniel Hunter, 267-825-0807
Catherine Recker, 215-972-6430

Citizens Uncover Philadelphia Law Prohibiting Casinos on North Delaware Avenue

PHILADELPHIA, PA: Today citizens publicly announced that they have uncovered a law prohibiting casinos in along North Delaware Avenue. The law is zoning code Ch 14-1624 which prohibits any venue whose primary purpose is "entertainment of guests and patrons" is allowed. Casinos would thus be excluded.

This law applies to Delaware Avenue from Spring Garden to Lehigh Avenue. It would exclude the SugarHouse site but not the Foxwoods site. (Incidentally, it would exclude the Riverwalk and Pinnacle site.)

This law was created in 2002 in response to the development in the late to mid 90s when Fishtown and Northern Liberties were plagued by Delaware Avenue nightclubs. The nightclubs brought shootings and dangerous drunken behavior to the neighborhood. As a result, the community made the zoning prohibition.

Catherine Recker, part of the team that uncovered this law reports, "The PGCB once more has its regulatory ability exposed as completely incompetent. They allowed SugarHouse to submit factually incorrect information, and now we found out they ignored City zoning legislation, too. Pinochio's nose has grown too long to be acceptable."

Her team alerted Councilman Frank DiCicco and State Representative Mike O'Brien to this issue and they yesterday signed a joint letter to Sugarhouse essentially telling SugarHouse casino that it's time for them to move since they are not conforming to City zoning requirements.

Daniel Hunter, coordinator for Casino-Free Philadelphia and West Philadelphia resident explains, "Citizens created the 2002 law to protect their neighborhoods from being taken over by nightclubs. How appropriate that it would protect them from a much bigger problem: a casino with six liquor licenses to serve 24/7 unlimited free drinks."

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Last Updated: March 28, 2007