Gettysburg Battle Against Slots Parlor

The Lutheran Theological Seminary Chapel played host to a modest sized protest.  Roughly 60 people made their stance known as they rallied against the proposition of a casino in the Gettysburg area.  The meeting was also a mobilization seminar as guest speakers warned citizens of the dangers industrialized gambling will wreak on personal finance and the very image of Gettysburg.

Susan Star Paddock, the chairwoman of No Casino Gettysburg, describes the city as currently going through an “identity crisis.”  “We have signatures from all over the world on our petitions,” said Paddock.

Investors have major plans for the construction of Crossroads Gaming Resort and Spa in a very commercial district in the northeast quadrant of the U.S. 15/30 interchange amongst motels, hotels, and big-box retail businesses.  No Casino Gettysburg and a like minded organization Concerned Citizens of Straban Township, are determined to fight against it.  The casino is planned as a 3,000 machine slots parlor with a four-star hotel and a 30,000 square foot spa.

The Casino seems to fit into the district it is planned for, but opponents have a major issue with it proximity to the Gettysburg Battlefield.  The casino would be positioned one mile away from the very location that President Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address only months after one of the Civil War’s most deadly battles.

The rally featured many speakers with unique causes to stand against the slots parlor.  Hank Butler represented Associated Builders and Contractors, a lobbying group that mainly represents non-union construction.  Butler proclaimed his grievances with the agreement between investors Chance Enterprise Inc. and the Construction Trade Council.  The agreement excluded all non-union workers in Adams County to hire only union labor to build the casino project.  Butler exclaimed, “There are only five or six companies within 50 miles of Gettysburg available to apply.  In essence, no company from Adams County would be able to consider working on this job.”

Speakers also included politicians such as Reps. Stephen Maitland and Steven Nickol.

Another member of Associated Builders and Contractors, Bill Kearney offered a little more than a business perspective.  Kearney instead delved into a testimonial of his struggles with gambling addiction.   He recounted how the lure of Atlantic City and Vegas casinos led to losing his family and $4 million.

In Kearney’s moving speech about his life as “an ex-compulsive casino gambling degenerate,” he warned that casinos are “more dangerous than alcoholism or drugs, with casino operators offering free liquor, food, and rooms to keep patrons happy and ignorant of their losses.”

Kearny believes firmly that it would only be a matter of time before a Gettysburg slots parlor would make steps toward offering table games.  Senior citizens make up 40% of hardcore slot machine players and that group is slowly getting thinner.  Televised poker tournaments have pushed the latest generation toward Texas Hold’Em.  “The big push on Texas Hold ‘Em is to get the younger players in,” said Kearny. “These kids were born with a joy stick in their hand, they want to have control.”

Paddock continued working after the three-hours of presentations had concluded.  She alerted audiences of the coming April 5^th meeting with the Pennsylvania State Gaming Control Board at Gettysburg College.  She urged them to make their voice heard by registering to speak before the March 6^th deadline.  “It is absolutely essential that we have a lot of people registered to speak,” said Paddock. “Even if you’re not selected to testify, maybe we’ll give you a t-shirt that says ‘the PGCB won’t listen to me.’”

There is a list of rules regarding the meeting posted on the Gaming Control Board website (pagcb.state.pa.us), such as speakers being forbidden to duplicate one another.  Paddock has offered her full assistance, “There are thousands of topics.  I will help you figure out what to say.”

The meeting will be held at 8:30 am in the Gettysburg College student union ballroom.  It marks the first step on the state itinerary to round up opinions from investors, organizations, local government, and individuals before distributing 14 slot machine facility licenses later in the year.

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