Jackpot on the Waterfront? Iverson Looks For One. Nutter Wants a Talk Marathon
The real games are about to begin. Street protests and court battles will continue for months over the selection of two waterfront sites for casino slot gaming in Philadelphia. Ironically, the waterfront is the best place to go, but don’t tell that to the residents of South Philly and Fishtown where the casinos will be built.
The Foxwood and SugarHouse companies won the fight, but it is certain that the losers may challenge this in court, along with City Council and the neighborhood organizations. Will casinos be good for Philadelphia? One thing is certain. I have watched for over 40 years as one plan after another for Penns Landing has failed. Maybe the gambling halls will finally bring some life to the waterfront.
But before the games begin, the political games will have to play out.
SPEAKING OF GAMES: Alan Iverson was truly worth the price of admission for the Philadelphia 76-ers, but true greatness is really found in extraordinary team work and a desire to mold together a true force of playing partners. Now, the “answer’, as he is called, will have a chance to prove himself in Denver, which already has a superstar. People rarely change. Iverson is a great star, but can he pull off the big prize by playing less for his own grandeur and more for his team?
Alan Iverson has become a part of the culture of Philadelphia sports. We will miss him. But like Mayors, Presidents, and Television people learn, no one is irreplaceable.
We wish him well. And if the ring fits, let him wear it well.
Finally–good move by Philadelphia Mayoral candidate Michael Nutter. Nutter is calling for weekly mayoral debates. It will never happen, but the more debates the better. People need to hear a vision for the future, not just the same old verbalo barrages, loaded with superlatives, and lacking in specifics.
Political commercials are one thing. Real debates bring the campaign to life.
Larry, you are absolutely correct about debates. It’s one thing if you fight by fronting political ads, but it’s another if you fight during a real debate. Personally for me the best debate moment came when Lloyd Bentson reamed George Bush for “being no Jack Kennedy”. Let each canidate speak freely about issues important to them and answer to adversaries. I’m hoping someone takes Michael Nutter up on his offer.
I doubt that they will.
Larry
In the long run, the casinos will probably be good for Philly. But what’s good for Philly may not necessarily be good for the residents who will be neighboring the casinos. Did the AC casinos help those residents?
What’s good for Philly is that maybe the waterfront will finally get developed. Look at Aventura and Sunny Isles in Florida where dozens of beautiful high rise condos have been constructed on the “bet” that casinos will one day be approved. What a beatiful area. Maybe that’s what can happen in Philly.
Nothing has really worked well on the water, but the casinos may promote more development. That would be a good thing after wasting 30 years of plans that never got to the finish line.