The selection process for a second casino in Philadelphia is going so painfully slow that the mayor reportedly is getting pretty frustrated with the pace.
According to Philly.com, Mayor Michael Nutter made the comments at a Tuesday meeting of the International Association of Gaming Regulators at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.
Nutter noted that the suitability hearings were a long time ago.
Just four projects remain in the running. According to the report:
The contenders for the second Philadelphia license are Market8 at Eighth and Market Streets; the Provence at Broad and Callowhill Streets; Live Philadelphia at 900 Packer Ave.; and Casino Revolution at Front Street and Pattison Avenue.
One of the remaining bidders—Philly-based mogul Bart Blatstein—is getting irked as well.
He recently told newsworks.org: “The frustration comes from I think there are forces trying to keep the other casino license from going out and that is the frustration. I do believe there is a lobbyist being paid to kill the license."
Despite all of this, regulators will not say when a decision will come.
“The mayor is anxious for us to make a decision,” Gaming board member Gregory Fajt told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We’re still deliberating and hopefully, we’ll make a decision soon.”
Philadelphia already has one licensed gambling facility, the SugarHouse Casino on the Delaware River. However, Parx Casino and Harrah’s Chester Casino sit just outside the city.
