Casino would consider alternate site in Phila.

Foxwoods Casino would consider building its slots parlor on sites away from the Delaware River waterfront, Gov. Rendell announced yesterday after meeting with Foxwoods principals.

The development - which the governor called "good news" - is the latest movement in a protracted struggle that pits Foxwoods and the other casino planned for the waterfront, SugarHouse, against intractable state and local opposition.

Even so, Rendell cautioned: "There is nothing that is sure or certain here."

The announcement followed a much-anticipated meeting, held at the Center City offices of the law firm Ballard Spahr, with Mayor Nutter, state legislators, and the project's owners.

"I think the big story here today is that there is for the first time an expression by Foxwoods to reconsider their current site, and they are actively exploring other sites . . . that are not on the waterfront," Nutter said during a City Hall news conference after the meeting.

Nutter, who has said that the two slots parlors planned on the Delaware River conflict with the city's civic vision of its waterfront, called the development "absolutely a positive step" toward moving them away from the riverfront.

Foxwoods and SugarHouse were both awarded licenses to build slot-machine casinos in the city in December 2006 but have been held up by unfriendly neighbors, Council members, and local state legislators.

Foxwoods' plan calls for a $670 million casino on Columbus Boulevard between Reed and Tasker Streets.

Foxwoods officials did not attend the news conference but released a statement.

"We have shared with City and State officials the obstacles that resiting would entail," spokeswoman Maureen Garrity said in an e-mail. "Following those discussions, we have agreed, in principle, to consider other alternative sites and ways that we can mutually overcome those obstacles. We are committed to continuing those discussions, while preserving our rights to the South Columbus Boulevard site."

Foxwoods' principals did not identify any of the sites they are supposed to be considering, Rendell said, other than to indicate the parcels are not on the waterfront and would not violate the 10-mile noncompetition buffer with racetrack casinos in Chester and Bensalem. That would rule out the area around Philadelphia International Airport, a location favored by many casino opponents.

Rendell said he would schedule a separate meeting with SugarHouse after Labor Day to discuss the location of its $700 million project, which is planned for Fishtown/Northern Liberties.

"We anticipated that there would be two different meetings because the issues are different," SugarHouse spokeswoman Leigh Whitaker said.

Rendell called yesterday's meeting with Foxwoods at the end of the state legislature's session in July to address increasing opposition to the casino locations by local state legislators and Nutter.

Significantly, the summit included developer Ronald Rubin and Mashantucket Pequot tribal chairman Michael Thomas, representing the partnership that wants to extend the Mashantucket Pequot's Connecticut-based Foxwoods brand to Philadelphia. Those principals have until now remained out of the political fray here.

Three Democratic Philadelphia legislators were also at the meeting - State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo and State Rep. William F. Keller, whose districts include Foxwoods, and State Rep. Dwight Evans. It was an alliance of Fumo and Evans that pushed Rendell to bring casinos to the table.

Fumo, who once offered Foxwoods $30 million in state funds as compensation for moving, said no public money would be offered.

The Philadelphia Neighborhood Alliance, a coalition of neighborhood groups who opposed the casino locations, called the meeting "a good first step towards achieving the goal of re-siting both casinos."

Other casino opponents were wary, particularly of Rendell's words that Foxwoods was seeking assurances that it would not face the same kind of government opposition for land-use permits at another site, or risk losing the state license that was issued based partly on its location.

"Process is important, and we don't want to go from one backroom deal to another," said Paul Boni, an attorney who has been active in opposing Foxwoods as part of Casino-Free Philadelphia and neighborhood organizations. "The people of Philadelphia should be able to say whether they want casinos and where their preferred location should be - not the casinos."

City Councilman Frank DiCicco, whose district includes both Foxwoods and SugarHouse, said: "It's not time for celebration, but it's time to be optimistic."

Rendell said staff from the city and state legislators would begin work today to facilitate a resolution.