LMAO

A terrible idea. It would be a shame to see this kind of development here just as North Broad is getting back on its feet.

How is this going to work in such a high density location? Where are all of these people going to park? The Logan Triangle would’ve made more sense than this one. 

Darrell Clarke appears to be on board.  http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/city/20120410_City_could_use_another_casino.html

That’s the worst idea I’ve heard today.  

I would rather see it on Market East. But I’m not a NIMBY. More annoyed as a resident of Northern Liberties that Blatstein is getting distracted from finishing his projects here and the stuff he is building here has gone WAY down hill in terms of quality, since the Piazza. I thought he elevated his game with the Piazza. I was wrong. That was merely a blip on the radar…thank god for Erdy McHenry.

So I looked closely at the map.  Do you think he really is planning on tearing down that parking garage on west side of 15th and Callowhill and somehow squeezing a massive garage INTO the existing Inky building on the east side of the same intersection?

Isn’t CCP, Masterman and another school only a block away ?

This would have been a better April Fools joke than the one you had.

Clarke would sell his grandma’s organs if Blatstein told him to.

Isn’t there some kind of state law that says two casinos can’t be within a certain distance of one another? I’m almost certain this location is too close to SugarHouse for this to be allowed. I could be wrong though

ha, state laws are meant to be changed for the connected – I’m sure Rendell’s lobbying for a variance now.
wouldn’t be surprised that Blatstein’s asking for the moon, but what he’ll actually get will be worse somehow.

Philadelphia wage tax reductions are tied to gambling revenues, so I could be on board with this. We all know that Philly would have a more robust economy if taxes were more reasonable. On the other hand it seems a bit gimmicky.

Wow. Awful, my respect for Blatstein has just dropped significantly. 

Geez, let’s hope not.

Piazza was a nice concept, mediocre in execution.  I’m glad it’s there, but it just doesn’t live up to expectations.  Part of that is that there is still plenty of development that needs to be done surrounding it, but just like the cheap imitation Roman paving in the square, it falls short of the constant vibrancy of a Roman Piazza.

Blatstein is really going for broke on this proposal.  I don’t have a problem with casinos.  I never go to them, but as long as they don’t offend me from the outside then I don’t get the big deal.  Gigantic parking garages do suck, but what else are you gonna do?

The man has really grown up from his strip mall development days.  I just hope he leaves those strip mall sensibilities behind at such a prominent location.

People need to make a stink about his rotting, vacant properties in NoLibs before he can get anything done with this.  Someone contributing so greatly to blight in one part of the city should not get away scot free doing large scale development elsewhere, especially in light of the Buck Building tragedy.

You never saw his early vision for the Piazza. What got built is far far better, and we have his architecture firm (which he eventually fired) to thank for that. If you want to see what Bart will built if left to his own devices, all you need to do is to check out the south side of the 200 block of George Street.

that’s a lot of empty space there and maybe a new movie theater would do wonders….this could also spur the rehab of large warehouses on vine that have been abandoned for some time…I say keep it coming

There is supposed to be a 10 mile setback between casinos.

Meh, I don’t hate the idea… the 1500 block of Callowhill is pretty much useless otherwise. Also, barely anyone lives in the immediate area. Its better than what’s there.

I wish Blatstein would go ahead and jump on the empty lots nearby on North Broad before getting into all this, but oh well.

Looking at this from purely a development perspective is in many ways counterproductive. Casinos in urban areas have severe impacts:

1. Money that would otherwise be spent on goods and services in the local economy is instead wasted in a casino, resulting in negative economic impact overall through revenue loss (except ONLY to the casino) and job loss.
2. Studies also show the violent crime increases around casinos
3. Such casinos take advantage of vulnerable poorer populations that are concentrated in urban areas.

This isn’t just about a building. It’s about a culture. And I for one, am not a fan of what this would mean for the city.

A fool and his money are soon parted.  I don’t play into the paternalistic anti-gambling mentality.  If people want to piss their money away, they’ll do it despite your attempts to stop them.  They used to take buses to AC, then Chester, and now they go to Delaware Ave.

Tax it to hell if that makes you feel better.

For a start, I don’t agree with the two huge parking garages in the middle of Center City. Maybe if they had ground floor retail. Otherwise they ruin the walkability of this portion of the city.

I don’t love the garages, but that section isn’t terribly pedestrian friendly as it is. Retail would be nice, but I don’t think the garages are any worse than the current configuration of that block.

So that means his early vision really stunk?  I don’t get how this is an endorsement.  

Im ok with the housing and retail on Spring Garden & Broad, but a casino around the School Board office, CCoP, and the other surrounding schools? 

The current conditions on that block are sufficiently terrible, that a significant improvement on the status quo ought to be the starting point.

I’m actually kind of shocked that Blatstein’s plan doesn’t angle for the air rights over the 676 ramps.  Difficult to engineer around, yes, but they’re completely useless space right now, and can’t actually be any good for an adjacent development.

So are you saying you are okay with creating an Atlantic City-like culture in Philly? Legalizing casino’s is a desperate approach to generating revenue. Thats why typically only shitty and/or severely broke cities legalize them. 

The site plan map indicates the development will resemble a giant middle finger.

I could see City Council being in favor of this – the combination of revenue and jobs will be too enticing not to support it versus the social disadvantages.  If it did pass the hurdles, it would need to be done right to be distinctive and spectactular.  Sugarhouse is an extreme watered down version of the 1st proposal.  This one would need to be a destination with four and five star restaurants, great retail shopping.  It could be a great compliment to the Convention Center to help with tourism.  Will sure be interesting. 

[...] a whole lot of interest for our readers. But then, all of a sudden, last week’s bombshell: Bart Blatstein’s plan for a hotel at the Inquirer Building, and a casino on the 1500 block of … Yes, just around the corner from this site. The Inquirer Building, just to the east, beyond the [...]

[...] At the time, this didn’t seem like such an exciting new development, considering its location. Highway to the south, parking lots to the north, this seemed like an unexciting use at an out-of-the-way location on the fringe of Center City that wouldn’t really hold a whole lot of interest for our readers. But then, all of a sudden, last week’s bombshell: Bart Blatstein’s plan for a hotel at the Inquirer Building, and a… [...]

Oh my god. My neighborhood is going to be ruined. This is why we’re not a “world class city” Don’t we deserve better ?

 like miami, chicago, new york, and new york

[...] the street from the future site of a Mormon Temple, and around the corner from the possible site of a future casino, developers are seeking to transform a tired two-story building at 17th & Wood into a [...]

Stupid idea.

Right there with ya regarding his blighted buildings in NoLibs. (and we live in East Falls)  It’s like the wild west there from block to block… jarring. Can’t Ortliebs’ area get a little love now that it’s open for business again.

Also, I am not sanguine that this downtown gamblin’ hall is gonna happen. Casinos… on the outskirts seem to encounter the least resistance- rather like junk yards, oil refineries, and porn.

[...] Now, if Bart Blatstein is building a casino on Broad Street, who are the neighborhood groups that will unite and fight to put together a worthy CBA? In North Philadelphia, home to many low-income residents, civic groups and local CDCs will need to step up to lead the way for marginalized voices. More, is $1M a year enough? And what are some projects folks can think of should the casino come? Obviously, we’re putting the cart way before the horse here, but these considerations should certainly be part of the dialogue in weighing the pros and cons of a casino on North Broad. [...]

[...] this building’s recent history and if there may be plans for this site on the horizon? With Blatstein’s Broad Street development blocks away, this plot could become prime real estate. But who will be brazen enough to [...]

[...] second Philadelphia casino. Could it be at Broad & Callowhill, behind the Inquirer Building, as Bart Blatstein has proposed? Could it get built on the Delaware waterfront? The Schuylkill waterfront? Market [...]

[...] surely seen the pretty pictures and read numerous stories that detail at length a story we first told you about in April. Bart Blatstein of Tower Investments has come forward with a bold proposal to build [...]