Attorney holds competing hands

FROM THE START, lawyer Kevin Greenberg said that a coalition of community members he represents near the site of a proposed casino on North Broad Street would take neither an anti-casino nor a pro-casino position.

"We are really concerned about traffic, parking, security and safety issues for the community," he said.

But several neighbors are upset after learning that Greenberg's firm also represents Isle of Capri, the casino operator selected last month by developer Bart Blatstein for his proposed complex at Broad and Callowhill streets.

"I'm disgusted," said Lee Quillen, a member of the Callowhill Neighborhoods Association, one of the groups of the North Broad Community Coalition that Greenberg represents. Quillen said that many neighbors didn't know that Greenberg had represented casinos in the past, or about the connection between his firm, Flaster-Greenberg, and Isle of Capri.

"The facts were hidden from me," Quillen said. "I couldn't make my own choice, to know who Kevin Greenberg was and what he was trying to do."

Greenberg declined to comment. But coalition chair Paul Snitzer, of Congregation Rodeph Shalom, said the coalition wasn't worried about the conflict of interest.

"Kevin [Greenberg] was hired because of his experience and expertise with the gaming law," Snitzer said. Greenberg told the group that his firm had been approached by Isle of Capri, he said.

"All agreed it was a conflict. But at the same time, our coalition made the decision to waive any conflict from our side as long as there was a wall between the applicant's counsel and Kevin.

Snitzer noted that Isle of Capri was selected as the operator only last month, but Greenberg has been working for the coalition since November.

"We trust Kevin. We trust his firm and are comfortable with the process. For better or worse, Philadelphia is a small town and situations such as these are bound to occur."