Christie’s Chairman Emeritus Stephen Lash recently invited supporters of the SS United States to Christie’s Rockefeller Plaza headquarters for a reception to raise awareness of the ship and efforts to redevelop her. Conservancy benefactor Gerry Lenfest attended, as did a variety of influential New Yorkers, eager to hear about prospects for the ship.
“Ths gathering represents something of a dream I’ve had, which is to bring back the great, old SS United States,” said Lash, who has been an ocean liner afficionado for decades and whose personal collection includes fixtures, furnishings, and memorabilia from a variety of liners including the SS United States. “My vote is for New York, others may think of Philadelphia…that’s fine, but we look forward to working together.”
Gerry Lenfest echoed the sentiments of many by stating, “She’s a great ship and worth preserving. We have 20 months [after title transer] to raise the funds to have the ship restored…it will take help from people like you.”
Susan Gibbs, Conservancy Board President, expressed her enthusiasm for the event. “We’re just so delighted to be here. Thank you on behalf of our entire board. This is the greatest ship that the nation ever produced…thanks to Gerry we have been able to issue a stay of execution. We are challenged but absolutely inspired and determined.”
Conservancy Executive Director Dan McSweeney finished the presentation by adding, “We need to introduce all of you and all your friends and colleagues to our efforts…to make sure the ship is saved, whether she ends up in Philly or New York.”
This is continuing coverage of this story ,
as of now where the SS United States will be is a big question.
The Foxwoods Casino project has fell through ,
heres the news.
State Rep. Curt Schroder commended the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's decision to revoke the casino license of Foxwoods for its proposed Delaware River waterfront casino in Philadelphia.
Schroder, who serves as chairman of the Gaming Oversight Committee, said he will also introduce legislation to put the license out to bid statewide when the new session of the General Assembly begins in January.
The gaming board made a 6-1 decision Thursday to revoke the license after the plan has struggled for four years to get the proper financial backing to begin construction.
"Foxwoods had more than ample time to get its financing in order," said Schroder, R-155th of East Brandywine. "I commend the state Gaming Control Board for its decisive action in this case. After four years of delays and restructuring, it was apparent that Foxwoods did not have financing in place to establish a casino and generate revenue for the Commonwealth."
Schroder said the license that was revoked currently has to stay in Philadelphia and will be sold at a cost of $50 million. But he said he wants to open up the process to a bid and allow the license to be moved outside of Philadelphia.
"Many of us have thought that you should put these licenses out to bid," Schroder said. "It's a bargain-basement price at $50 million."
Schroder said the bidding would start at $50 million and could go up from there. The existing bidding process for licenses does not involve a price war.
Schroder said the revenues from a slot-machine license would go into the property tax relief fund and could help Pennsylvania homeowners "to some extent" while the table-game revenues would go into the state's general fund. Schroder said it would help the state's economy, but he said he is unsure exactly what impact it would have.
Schroder said moving the casino out of Philadelphia, and perhaps the surrounding area, would not likely impact the local economy very much.
And he said the economy of his district, which is entirely in Chester County, would not be greatly affected if the casino moved across the state.
The Philadelphia area may be "saturated" with casinos already, Schroder said, and may not need a second casino in the city.
SugarHouse Casino recently opened in the city, and nearby casinos in Bethlehem, Bensalem and Chester are also up and running.
The investors behind the Foxwoods project have been struggling for four years to launch a casino in South Philadelphia on Columbus Boulevard between Tasker and Reed Streets. After winning one of the city's casino licenses in December 2006, the PEDP group faced intense political and neighborhood opposition.
Mayor Nutter came into office in 2008, vowing to stop both of the city's planned casinos, arguing that it was bad use of waterfront property. At the same time, the collapse of the economy took a toll on the Mashantucket Pequot tribe of Connecticut, which was supposed to open and operate the Foxwoods Casino in Philadelphia.
With the support of Gov. Rendell, PEDP tried to placate political opponents in Philadelphia by moving its project to Center City, at first exploring The Gallery at Market East mall before settling on the old Strawbridge & Clothier department store.
But the gaming board ordered the partners to move the project back to its original waterfront location. With the Mashantucket Pequot tribe unable to bring the project together, local investors reached out to Las Vegas casino operator Steve Wynn, who reached an agreement last March to open a Wynn casino in Philadelphia. Wynn, however, abruptly dropped out of that deal last April, giving no public reason.
Facing a deadline on its license, PEDP had to scramble to find a replacement. Many in the gaming industry viewed Harrah's Entertainment as a logical choice. The Las Vegas company operates more casinos than any other business, including a facility in Chester, 15 miles south of Philadelphia. Under Pennsylvania law, Harrah's cannot own more than 33 percent of a second casino.
This is a dark hour as the Foxwoods Casino project was a beautiful proposal to revitalize the SS United States , in the nations struggling economic recession the Foxwoods casino along with another casino project in Atlantic city , The Revel Casino project that has been delayed.
What the next option for the SS United States Conservancy will be lies in the balance as
the organization works to see a viable future for America's last ocean liner.
This is continuing coverage of this story ,
as of now where the SS United States will be is a big question.
The Foxwoods Casino project has fell through ,
heres the news.
State Rep. Curt Schroder commended the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's decision to revoke the casino license of Foxwoods for its proposed Delaware River waterfront casino in Philadelphia.
Schroder, who serves as chairman of the Gaming Oversight Committee, said he will also introduce legislation to put the license out to bid statewide when the new session of the General Assembly begins in January.
The gaming board made a 6-1 decision Thursday to revoke the license after the plan has struggled for four years to get the proper financial backing to begin construction.
"Foxwoods had more than ample time to get its financing in order," said Schroder, R-155th of East Brandywine. "I commend the state Gaming Control Board for its decisive action in this case. After four years of delays and restructuring, it was apparent that Foxwoods did not have financing in place to establish a casino and generate revenue for the Commonwealth."
Schroder said the license that was revoked currently has to stay in Philadelphia and will be sold at a cost of $50 million. But he said he wants to open up the process to a bid and allow the license to be moved outside of Philadelphia.
"Many of us have thought that you should put these licenses out to bid," Schroder said. "It's a bargain-basement price at $50 million."
Schroder said the bidding would start at $50 million and could go up from there. The existing bidding process for licenses does not involve a price war.
Schroder said the revenues from a slot-machine license would go into the property tax relief fund and could help Pennsylvania homeowners "to some extent" while the table-game revenues would go into the state's general fund. Schroder said it would help the state's economy, but he said he is unsure exactly what impact it would have.
Schroder said moving the casino out of Philadelphia, and perhaps the surrounding area, would not likely impact the local economy very much.
And he said the economy of his district, which is entirely in Chester County, would not be greatly affected if the casino moved across the state.
The Philadelphia area may be "saturated" with casinos already, Schroder said, and may not need a second casino in the city.
SugarHouse Casino recently opened in the city, and nearby casinos in Bethlehem, Bensalem and Chester are also up and running.
The investors behind the Foxwoods project have been struggling for four years to launch a casino in South Philadelphia on Columbus Boulevard between Tasker and Reed Streets. After winning one of the city's casino licenses in December 2006, the PEDP group faced intense political and neighborhood opposition.
Mayor Nutter came into office in 2008, vowing to stop both of the city's planned casinos, arguing that it was bad use of waterfront property. At the same time, the collapse of the economy took a toll on the Mashantucket Pequot tribe of Connecticut, which was supposed to open and operate the Foxwoods Casino in Philadelphia.
With the support of Gov. Rendell, PEDP tried to placate political opponents in Philadelphia by moving its project to Center City, at first exploring The Gallery at Market East mall before settling on the old Strawbridge & Clothier department store.
But the gaming board ordered the partners to move the project back to its original waterfront location. With the Mashantucket Pequot tribe unable to bring the project together, local investors reached out to Las Vegas casino operator Steve Wynn, who reached an agreement last March to open a Wynn casino in Philadelphia. Wynn, however, abruptly dropped out of that deal last April, giving no public reason.
Facing a deadline on its license, PEDP had to scramble to find a replacement. Many in the gaming industry viewed Harrah's Entertainment as a logical choice. The Las Vegas company operates more casinos than any other business, including a facility in Chester, 15 miles south of Philadelphia. Under Pennsylvania law, Harrah's cannot own more than 33 percent of a second casino.
This is a dark hour as the Foxwoods Casino project was a beautiful proposal to revitalize the SS United States , in the nations struggling economic recession the Foxwoods casino along with another casino project in Atlantic city , The Revel Casino project that has been delayed.
What the next option for the SS United States Conservancy will be lies in the balance as
the organization works to see a viable future for America's last ocean liner.
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