. . .Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 19:41:31 +0000 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [UC] UCHS and Civic Center demolitions: a review (fwd)
The Civic Center would be an ideal location for a Gambling Casino. It is
accessible, yet away from day-to-day activities. Historic venues are
widely used for such purposes in England and Australia.
There's a NIMBY answer if I ever read one.
Just think what a message that sends to the world -- "Come to Philadelphia's Cancer center and while you wait for your appointment, make enough money to pay for your treatment right across the street!"
"Historical venues" in Europe use "old castles" for gambling because the owners of those edifices decided that was the way to pay the rent. And I don't know of one which is less than about 200 years old. NONE of them are "merely" 70 years old.
There are also a tremendous number of "faux historical" venues used for gambling worldwide ... it is far easier, cheaper, and all around "better" to build an old-building from the ground up with a new special-purpose core.
And of course, we all know that 99% of the gamblers world-wide dress in Tuxedo's and drive around in Aston Martin's and truly appreciate the ease of climbing the facade of such an establishment.
Come on, get real. Philadelphia gamblers, even more than the few Philadelphian's who travel to Atlantic City, will NEVER move beyond the nickel-slots. They would be much happier puling the handle while waiting for the El --- but then no money would flow into the pockets of the Politicians who expect to get rich on Gambling in Pennsylvania.
Personally, I think the ideal location for Philadelphia's gambling empire is where it has already been proposed, and in the exact design that it has been proposed -- a monolithic block with swinging arc-lights right next to City Hall. .... or maybe at 17th and Arch. Or maybe to solve both the city's budget crisis and re-use an equally historic white-elephant ... the Casino should go into the Youth Study Center.
accessible, yet away from day-to-day activities.
I don't believe that you made that statement. It is clear that you do not live in the area and one even wonders if you live in the City of Philadelphia -- you are clearly completely and utterly out of touch with traffic issues in the City, let alone University City area.
One wonders how, or even IF, ambulances will deal with the massive amounts of traffic necessary to make a casino profitable. Do you realize what kind of traffic volume you are talking about? You do realize, don't you, that there is barely any public transportation to the area. And that for the Casino to make ANY money, that massive amounts of traffic will be necessary from OUTSIDE the Center City area. Traffic all around that area is already horrendous and ALL highway access routes are strained over capacity -- and yes, I am talking about the "Expressway," South Street and 38th Streets. And last but not least, who is going to manage the re-supply trucks for the food trucks in the area ... after all, the gamblers are going to want to eat someplace.
The Committee to Save Convention Hall, or whatever its name is -- simply has no idea what they are talking about.
And one last point.
With your efforts to "conserve" what are in fact VERY mediocre examples of Art Deco architecture in Philadelphia, you not only demean those Art Deco structures which are good, but slam contemporary Architects -- You can't even design something as well as those turkeys who nobody ever heard of, did 80 years ago.
Lets face it -- If Ed Rendel wanted to demolish those buildings instead of the University of Pennsylvania, everybody would be standing up and applauding his foresight and plans for the future. Yes, I'm saying that the ONLY reason that people are opposed to the demolition is because the University of Pennsylvania is the one doing it.
T.T.F.N. William H. Magill [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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