Philadelphia: New casino town
Meina Kalayeh
Issue date: 10/9/09 Section: Ed-Op
Despite renovations over the last 10 years within college campuses and shopping districts, Philadelphia today is very much the same city of my childhood. Poverty is still prevalent but tucked away-crouching on bridges and dark corners of parking garages. Violence and dealing remain a reality, but only for those who inhabit its arteries, from 52nd and Market to Bridge and Hawthorne. Philadelphia's legislature, like most, tends to consider a fresh coat of paint as a panacea for its city's problems. Today, with the budget crisis and many local establishments on the chopping block, our municipality has converged to one solution: a casino.
The primary argument for such an establishment is job creation. A pledge has been made to locals that they would have first picks for employment. Existing Pennsylvania casinos are currently expanding their parlors to banned table games such as blackjack and roulette. State officials insist that this signifies an employment opportunity. According to Suzette Parmley of The Philadelphia Inquirer, "State Sen. Tommy Tomlinson (R., Bucks), who introduced his table-games legislation earlier this week in a committee in Harrisburg, estimated that tables would create more than 10,000 direct jobs statewide." The numbers support the claim-the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gave a press release reporting that from September 2008 to September 2009, Pennsylvania's casinos saw a 30 percent increase in their gross revenue. In a city where the budget has tightened by 3 percent and unemployment stands at approximately 7.2 percent, these are friendly statistics.
However, one must keep in mind the quality of employment that casinos provide-like any sightseeing attraction, staffing is seasonal. To attest to this, Atlantic City's own population is victim to the tides of tourism. Donald Wittkowski of The Press of Atlantic City reports, "Casinos slashed more than 1,000 jobs in September as pink slips flew as fast as dice on a craps table in the traditional post-Labor Day employment cutback … the weak economy and competition from Pennsylvania slot parlors have put additional pressure … to cut even deeper to reduce costs." In addition to seasonal cuts, competition is now affecting the casino industry regionally, with employees taking the brunt.
The primary argument for such an establishment is job creation. A pledge has been made to locals that they would have first picks for employment. Existing Pennsylvania casinos are currently expanding their parlors to banned table games such as blackjack and roulette. State officials insist that this signifies an employment opportunity. According to Suzette Parmley of The Philadelphia Inquirer, "State Sen. Tommy Tomlinson (R., Bucks), who introduced his table-games legislation earlier this week in a committee in Harrisburg, estimated that tables would create more than 10,000 direct jobs statewide." The numbers support the claim-the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gave a press release reporting that from September 2008 to September 2009, Pennsylvania's casinos saw a 30 percent increase in their gross revenue. In a city where the budget has tightened by 3 percent and unemployment stands at approximately 7.2 percent, these are friendly statistics.
However, one must keep in mind the quality of employment that casinos provide-like any sightseeing attraction, staffing is seasonal. To attest to this, Atlantic City's own population is victim to the tides of tourism. Donald Wittkowski of The Press of Atlantic City reports, "Casinos slashed more than 1,000 jobs in September as pink slips flew as fast as dice on a craps table in the traditional post-Labor Day employment cutback … the weak economy and competition from Pennsylvania slot parlors have put additional pressure … to cut even deeper to reduce costs." In addition to seasonal cuts, competition is now affecting the casino industry regionally, with employees taking the brunt.
Be the first to comment on this story