You may have missed it, but the Inquirer printed a bombshell this past Friday: SugarHouse is now considering considerable changes in the design of proposed slot parlor.
For an arrogant business that has refused to budge an inch for over two years, this is a significant tremor. It means that even though SugarHouse has the Supreme Court firmly on its side, the principals still understand the need to accommodate the will of the people and our elected officials.
Why has it been so arrogant? Because casinos are used to winning.
SugarHouse is engaged in a predatory business. It pushes addictive, computerized slot machines designed to maximize the time the gambler stays in the seat. This industry analyzes customers' "predicted lifetime value" and tries its best to get them to "play to extinction." Their terms.
So this is an industry that is used to winning and getting what they want behind closed doors. It is not used to negotiating openly with elected officials for the public good.
SugarHouse has blinked and that is significant.
It still needs several important permits from the city and is far from building -- far enough that it's now considering different plans. The pressure needs to stay on them to move them out of neighborhoods completely. A new architectural design is not enough.
(Read the details of Inquirer's SugarHouse Offers Casino Design Changes and Nutter Still Awaiting Meeting with SugarHouse)
Speaking of false claims, it's noteworthy that Governor Rendell has been involved in his own game of deception. The meeting was between SugarHouse and Rendell, Nutter, and Representative Evans. But it happened weeks ago! Nobody said anything about this meeting at the Foxwoods press conference, where they were directly asked about it. In fact, Rendell actively lied about it.
State Representative Mike O'Brien, excluded from the meeting, puts the message clear:
"This was the promised meeting, and it's now concluded?" an astonished O'Brien said last night. "It would certainly be ill-advised, if that's what he did, considering the delicate position that the Foxwoods casino finds itself in at this moment."
"The people were promised an open and transparent process," O'Brien said. "They deserve nothing less."
It raises the question: do we really want Governor Rendell working behind closed doors with SugarHouse? We want this process brought out into the sunlight. Can this industry exist if it has to play by the rules?
Foxwoods Will Never Return
In a situation where there are so many lies, part of our job is to dispel rumors and tell the truth. Here a the truth everyone should know: Foxwoods will never return to the South Philly site.
Mayor Nutter has made it clear he, along with nearly everyone paying attention, is adamant that the South Philly site is unacceptable. So does Senator Fumo and his likely successor Larry Farnese. State Representative Keller has been in the fight from the beginning with Councilman DiCicco, along with allies like Representative O'Brien, Josephs, Payton, and others. Representative Evans has joined in, too.
But that's never what most mattered.
What mattered is that the people opposed it. We. The people.
If there's one lesson from this movement it should be this: in a democracy, the wisdom of informed and empowered people makes the difference. Despite the lies, we have informed ourselves. And despite attempts to break our spirit and accept the "inevitability" of two casinos on the waterfront, we are empowered. If Foxwoods ever, ever, ever tries to move back to the riverfront, we would rise up and stop that proposal in its tracks, just like we did before. Rendell and the casinos aren't that stupid. No, they'll keep shopping for a site.
Foxwoods' Chairman Michael Thomas openly admitted this point. He said that Foxwoods would look for a third site if the Gallery does not work out. The Governor quickly interrupted him and tried to push the rumor -- accept the Gallery, or it'll go back to South Philly. In other words, let me use your fear to force you into submission. Check out the good reporting on this fear mongering, at: http://www.planphilly.com/node/3862
It's a shameful strategy, not based on a sound political read of the situation. Why would Foxwoods return to a site with fresh, renewed opposition? No. The reality is this: Foxwoods at South Philadelphia is dead. Let's celebrate.
We say to all South Philly residents and allies: you can openly express your opposition to the new site. You can say it's unacceptable to place an unwanted slots parlor in the heart of our city. You can say that it's wrong to bring the predator closer to the prey. You can say Foxwoods does not deserve to be bailed out. You can say Governor Rendell should learn to use open processes. You can say you support the neighborhoods who are now facing the same failed policy that you faced, too.
In short, in a democracy, you can speak your mind. Stand up to the fear, say what's true.