At a City Hall press conference this afternoon, Mayor Nutter stated that there are “no barriers” to the construction of two casinos at their desired locations in the city.

This announcement, along with his statement on Tuesday that he would like to see the two proposed casinos “get up as quickly as possible,” signal his administration’s complete reversal on the slot parlor issue. It is a disheartening betrayal for any city resident who wants to hold a candidate to their word.

During the 2007 mayoral campaign, when Nutter was asked if he would “attempt to keep casinos from being built in Philadelphia,” he replied “yes” (PDF). The mayor elaborated in clear terms why he thought casinos were bad for the city in an April 2007 written response to a questionnaire submitted by a coalition of center-city civic groups.

“I do not support gambling as an economic development tool or as a way to fund ongoing government programs, no matter how worthy,” he wrote. “There is highly controversial evidence about whether the benefits are sustainable over time and whether those benefits exceed the substantial costs of gambling and the facilities that house it,” Nutter wrote.

If our city now faces a debt of historic proportions, why is Nutter endorsing an economic development tool that he so adamantly disapproved?

“The mayor’s announcement today violates his own economic policy. Philadelphians deserve a clear explanation about who has gotten to him and why he has suddenly changed his mind,” said Paul Boni, attorney for Casino-Free Philadelphia. “They also deserve the fair and transparent planning process that the administration promised for the waterfront and Market East.”

Read more of Casino-Free Philadelphia's response to the mayor's broken promises.

Next Wednesday, we'll be gathering in Northern Liberties with residents of the Riverwards for a "Casinos & Citizenry Town Hall." Join us, and learn how you can get involved!

--Ivan, JJ, Amy, Phil, Jethro and the Casino-Free Philadelphia team

P.S. Our friend Rev. Robin Hynicka of Arch Street United Methodist Church and the No Casino in the Heart of the City Coalition had a great response to the mayor's press conference: "Mayor Nutter championed the ban on smoking to mitigate the dangers of second hand smoke. Why abandon this mission of public protection when it comes to predatory gambling and its second hand effects?" Read Rev. Hynicka's full letter to the Daily News.