Johnstown looking to snag casino from Philly
Here's an interesting item: If the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board decides to revoke the Foxwoods license, State Sen. John Wozniak wants to move the casino to Johnstown. The relocation would mean that Philadelphia would only have one casino, located in the Northern Liberties section of the city.
If the Foxwoods investors continue to fail to make headway on getting the casino up and running, the idea could gain some momentum. A combination of community opposition and troubled finances has thus far led to numerous delays. In fact, the Gaming Board already took steps last month to revoke the license because the process has been so slow.
Without getting into whether the casino would be good for Philly in the big picture, it's worth pointing out that a relocation could mean trouble for city finances. Mayor Nutter's five-year plan includes revenue from the Foxwoods casino starting in the middle of 2011. If the license gets revoked and the casino relocated, the city would lose out on the expected revenue. Of course, the city would also see reduced costs for public safety and other expenditures related to the casino.
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