SugarHouse Casino: Accept Us Or Die

SugarHouse Casino, the winner for the slots parlor license in Fishtown, recently sent out a mailer to “thousands” of Philadelphia residents with the title “More cops on the street? We’re putting our money on it.”

Get it? Because SugarHouse is a casino and it’s going to take people’s money, but also some of those gambling losses will go to the state instead. Here’s what the above scan of the mailer says:

It’s time we make Philadelphia a safer, stronger city.

Putting hundreds of additional police on the streets is a proven way to get Philadelphia moving in the right direction. But that takes money the city doesn’t have.

That’s where you and SugarHouse Casino come in.

Your support will provide the city with tens of millions in new revenue that can be used to put hundreds of police on the streets and make all of our neighborhoods safer.

In addition, 6,000 new jobs will be created and our schools will receive a guaranteed $50 million in new revenue over ten years, giving our children a chance for a brighter future.

Additionally, SugarHouse has pledged $1 million annually to benefit neighboring communities.

Get it? If you’re against the casino, you want Philadelphians to die. I mean, look how safe that family is above, all thanks to SugarHouse Casino.

Battle Over Phila. Slots Heats Up With Sugarhouse Brochure [KYW 1060]

Crappy Video Poker Machines To Hit Pa.

Are you like me, wondering the best way to throw your money away in a mildly entertaining fashion? Well, I think about that a lot, especially since the casinos are coming to Philadelphia soon and I find slot machines boring.

But, well, the Pennsylvania gaming board ruled yesterday to make casinos all that much more mildly entertaining but allowing electronic table games that simulate games like blackjack and poker. It’s, basically, all the fun of a table game except it’s electronic and therefore involves no human interaction and, in order to comply with state gambling laws, all the odds are randomized so skilled players lose any advantage against the house they might have. Are you as excited as I am?

The games are so, ah, advanced they even feature (presumably female) dealers saying prerecorded lines like, “Come play with me.”

The state’s gambling board had the tough job of figuring out whether or not to allow the machine.

[Gaming board spokesman Dave] Harbach says the board’s laboratory has been studying the game for months.

Yeah, I know. I kind of want that job, too.

Pa. Casinos Getting Electronic Table Game [KYW 1060]
Pa. OKs virtual gambling table game [Camden Courier-Post]

Pa. Judges Just As Trashy As Other Pennsylvanians

If you’re ever going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a lawsuit¹, please note you don’t really have a shot if the judge is current Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Paul P. Panepinto. Panepinto got a free Super Bowl ticket from the Steelers last year.

Okay, so Panepinto got his ticket from friends who were invited to the game by the Steelers and so his free ticket would hopefully not influence his decision. (But it certainly gives you grounds for appeal, if that’s how “grounds for appeal” works.) And, hey, this judge got offered a free Super Bowl ticket. I don’t think it’s hard to see a successful smear campaign against a judge who turned down a free ticket to the Super Bowl on the grounds he doesn’t have his priorities in order.

In Pennsylvania, unlike most states, judges can receive gifts up to $250 as long as they report them. This is a great practice because it allows journalists to write stories about wacky gifts lawmakers got, such as Judge Panepinto’s Super Bowl tickets.

And, uh, sometimes the gifts were just a little odd:

James DeLeon, a Philadelphia municipal judge seeking the Democratic nod for Superior Court, said he and his wife renewed their wedding vows during a “mock marriage” event at the Trump resort, an event he said is mainly designed for gamblers. DeLeon said he is not a gambler, but was referred to the resort by a friend.

Hey, just think: In just a short time DeLeon can renew his vows at a “mock marriage” right here in Philadelphia.

Gifts to judges — like free Steelers Super Bowl tickets — raise questions about Pa. rules [AP/PittsburghLive.com]

¹ I’m not quite sure how you would have been in a position to sue — or, I suppose, be sued by — the Pittsburgh Steelers, but I bet it involves Terry Bradshaw and Paxil.

[Photo via ePodunk]

Casino Owners Not Only Robbers At Slots Parlors

Kevin Houck was charged the other day for allegedly seeing a woman hit a $1,000 jackpot at the Philadelphia Park Casino, then slammed her to the ground and stole her purse, which contained the winnings.

He might not have been caught if he didn’t return Sunday to the casino wearing the same exact jacket he wore when he robbed the Middletown woman. Yes, he returned to the scene of the crime, perhaps not knowing casinos have a ton of cameras, lest anyone steal from anyone important, i.e. the casino.

The security team noticed Houck and had him arrested. Fortunately, Bensalem detective Christopher McMullin says this isn’t going to become a trend:

“I don’t think it’s going to be open season on gamblers. The security is really tight over there. The video is so good that we wouldn’t let them get away with it…. The parking lot is safe. They have their own security over there. This guy had a little too much booze and drugs in his system. It was a crime of opportunity.”

Well, it is open season on gamblers, but it’s the casino who’s doing that thievery and the gamblers who are throwing their money away. But there aren’t any slot machines in the parking lot, so it’s pretty safe there.

Man charged with casino mugging [Bucks County Courier Times]

Casino Sends Aliens To Harvest Organs Of Anti-Casino Folks

In their quest to invalidate the petitions attempting to get a question on the May 15 primary ballot banning casinos from the city, lawyers for SugarHouse casino are doing the only thing they can to make the community one day perhaps love their gambling mecca in close proximity to Johnny Brenda’s.

The Daily News writes a lawyer from SugarHouse and a private investigator knocked on the door of petition signer Cindy Farlino and showed her the petition she signed, asking if it was indeed her signature. After replying in the affirmative, they then asked to talk to her lawyer.

“I looked at it and said, ‘Yes, that’s my signature,’ ” Farlino told the Daily News. “Then they said, ‘Do you have a lawyer, because we’ll talk to him.’ That took me aback, made me feel like I did something wrong.”

The woman said she wasn’t answering any more questions after the two men showed her their IDs, and the two people hung out flipping through petitions in front of her house before driving away. (And, apparently they popped the hatchback so the woman couldn’t get a shot of the license plate. Hopefully the car’s spare tire fell out or something.)

Meanwhile, Casino Free Philadelphia filed an appeal against both Foxwoods and SugarHouse, citing “government-sanctioned creation of public nuisances and vice factories.” You might think those words are a bit strong, but look at the photo the Daily News ran on the cover: The casinos are sending green mutant men to intimidate the petition signers. It’s only fair.

Private eye grills petition signer; Judge to hear casino challenge today [Daily News]

Casino Activists, Casinos To Fight Under Queensbury Rules

Lawyers from Philadelphia casino bid winner SugarHouse have filed suit against the petitions essentially banning casinos from the city, citing “widespread and pervasive fraud” in the petitions.

Pennsport and Fishtown residents worked together earlier this year to get 27,000-plus signatures on a petition for a ballot question to be voted on while citizens choose their next mayor on May 15. Although they only needed 20,000 signatures to get the question before City Council — who must pass it by majority vote to put it on the ballot — lawyers for SugarHouse (who chatted with Foxwoods lawyers, too) say only 25 percent of them can be validated, leaving them far short of the 20k total.

While in the Inquirer yesterday noted bisexual/Philly for Change founder Anne Dicker said, “I don’t think a grassroots group should have to face this onslaught by corporations,” Casino-Free Philadelphia organizer Daniel Hunter has taken on a more chipper tone: “Some people have said this [referendum] won’t stand up in court or that the state will merely come in and take over. The ferocity with which they’re attacking us is a sign that this is a real threat to them.”

Okay, so, as expected, the signatures will be battled in court, probably one-by-one and blah blah blah. So where does this take its usual ridiculous Philly twist? Oh, right here: One of SugarHouse’s lawyers is also an investor in the casino. And he’s, of course, Vince Fumo lawyer and Queensbury rules boxer Richard Sprague.

Casino alleges foes’ petitions are fraudulent [Inquirer]
Casino foes smell fear [Metro]
Feb. 9: Richard Sprague To Defend Fumo, Gentleman Jim Corbett

DiCicco: It’s Irresponsible Not To Waste Money

When we last heard from City Councilman Frank DiCicco (right), he was complaining that the federal government put him in Vince Fumo’s indictment just because he accepted free work from Fumo’s people even though they were being paid by Citizens Alliance to, say, put in floors in a house he bought. Wah, wah, he said, the government is just trying to make their indictment sexier.

Well, yesterday, DiCicco was leading the charge in City Council against the casinos, hoping to thwart or delay their arrival and to make sure his constituents re-elect him come May. Casino Free Philadelphia sponsored a petition with 27,000 signatures saying we shouldn’t have casinos.

The problem is, of course, that many of these proposals — such as the one banning all casinos from the city, the one letting residents vote on the casino proposals or the one that bans all casinos that rhyme with “Box Goods” and “Booger Mouse” — won’t stand up in court.

City Solicitor Romulo L. Diaz Jr. warned that approval of anti-casino measures by City Council would only delay the arrival of the casinos, cost the city money in legal fees, and possibly sacrifice whatever zoning power the city now enjoys over the casino sites.

“The city’s powers in this regard are limited,” Diaz said at yesterday’s hearing. “We must respect the Gaming Control Board’s licensing decision, or else we will face almost certain defeat in the courts and inevitably will lose any local land use control.”

Of course, DiCicco wasn’t having any of it.

Diaz: “It is my conclusion that such a bill would be most likely struck down by the courts.”

DiCicco: “To take the position that we just basically have to roll over on this one and agree that we’re going to lose in court and, therefore, let’s not do these bills, I think is irresponsible.”

DiCicco added, “It is a long tradition of City Council — indeed, all government! — to waste money on futile projects. Why not waste money on something that not only is something many people would like us to do but could also get me re-elected? If we can’t waste money on this sensible proposal than, I ask, what can we waste money on?”

City Council was so impressed they agreed to vote on the proposals next month.

Public vote on casinos is discussed [Inquirer]
Feb. 8: DiCicco Too Sexy For This Federal Indictment

Some Casino Employee Is Totally Getting Fired

Last Monday, Stephen Wilkinson got a message on his slot machine: You’ve won $102,000.

Of course, this was a mix-up. He actually didn’t win anything; it was an employee testing the jackpot function (or whatever) and Wilkinson was greeted by casino employees, who told him, here, here are two buffet comps and let’s just move on.

But although the casino was legally in the right — by law, Philadelphia Park or any casino doesn’t have to pay when there’s a malfunction — they weren’t right in something even more important that civil court: The Court of Public Opinion. All across the area, people made stupid jokes about the situation and thought he should get his $102,000.

And, over the weekend, Stephen Wilkinson got his $102,000. Good for him. And good for us, too. I’m heading to Philadelphia Park this afternoon, hoping for more employees who can screw up in ways that can make me money. I’ll be rich in no time.

Casino Changes Tune; Retiree Gets Jackpot After All [NBC 10]

Casinos: Even When You Win, You Lose

Stephen Wilkinson thought he had hit the jackpot.

He thought he had hit the jackpot because the screen flashed this in front of him: “Stephen Wilkinson: Congratulations. You are the power player jackpot winner. You’ve won $102,000.”

But, of course, he didn’t win anything. Well, Philadelphia Park Casino gave him comps for two free meals, so he got that, but no 100 large. The system malfunctioned, the casino explained; so, sorry. (Actual quote: “What is in dispute is whether that was valid or not. It was not.”)

Wilkinson says he’s been to Philadelphia Park about 15 times. After the lights went off and Wilkinson briefly “won” his 102k, the machine locked up. After the machine locked up, Wilkinson said casino officials told him it was just a mistake — game over, man. But he wasn’t taking it: “I told him I would have chained myself to that machine; I wouldn’t leave.”

Spoken like a true gambler.

A one-armed bandit proves to be a liar, too [Inquirer]

Anti-Casino Activists Fought The Law, And The Law Lost

A district judge yesterday acquitted the 14 anti-casino activists of all charges. They were arrested on Dec. 11 for attempting to learn things about the casinos coming to their neighborhoods.

The district judge, Joseph Solomon, later managed to shit all over the casino process to boot! “Their intent was to go there to get information that they had been previously denied,” Solomon told the Associated Press. “I didn’t feel it was appropriate for the gaming board to deny what I perceive to be public information.”

Take that, millionaires and politicos! How are you going to live with yourselves on your giant pile of money! Oh, wait.

The decision came on the same day that Chester’s new casino opened. It wasn’t due to open for another day, but the state gave them the okay to start raking in the dough and there were apparently already people waiting outside even though it wasn’t going to open for another day. There was a couple hundred people stacked up and looking to come in,” a Harrah’s exec said. “I guess they must have just hoped.” Ain’t casinos grand?

Anyway, this acquittal is a great thing. That’s right: No charges for my favorite anti-casino activist, Jethro Heiko. And, really, it’s good to see all these people released: They commited no crimes.

Well, maybe crimes of fashion, but “NO DICE” hats will be in one day, I swear.

Chester slots parlor opens one day early [Daily News]
Chester slots parlor opens one day early [Inquirer]
Archives: Jethro Heiko