To the Editor:

As a civic leader on the central Delaware, Tom Ferrick’s column “Why casinos won’t ruin Philadelphia or riverfront” was a disappointment, especially considering his previous encouragement to have ‘Great Expectations’.

Recent developments on the riverfront have been encouraging. City, state and local leaders collaborated to produce the Civic Vision for the Central Delaware. We developed guidelines for development based on civic principles reflective of what we loved about our city. The application of these guidelines would reconnect Philadelphia's riverfront with the city as development occurs.

Most importantly, it established a new way of doing business for Philadelphia. Stakeholders worked together in an open process that included over 4,000 Philadelphians to shape and vet the plan. The culimination of this work was a public presentation attended by over 1500 Philadelphians. The details of the plan can be seen atwww.planphilly.com/vision.

A thriving urban riverfront is key to Philadelphia’s future success at attracting jobs, residents and maintaining public health. The casinos can be part of that future, if they are integrated into the city in an urban, healthy way. The casinos as currently designed have parking structures and parcel sizes which wall off the riverfront and don’t acknowledge their riverfront location.

It shouldn't have to be a choice: Philadelphia can have successful gaming as well as thriving neighborhoods. Elected officials should develop a timeline and process for exploring resiting the casinos. Promising options exist and a process supportive of evaluating and implementing those options must be developed, endorsed and demanded by the City, and State. Whatever the eventual relocations of the casinos brings, clearly the developements will be much better accepted if they are developed in a way that is urban, walkable, and reflects the best of Philadelphia’s built environment.

It’s troubling to see someone who solicited our ‘Great Expectations’ to have lowered his so suddenly.

Jeff Rush
Central Delaware Advisory Group