History of Casino-Free Philly

Casino-Free Philadelphia started June 1, 2006, with a rally of two hundred people for greater transparency and more public input on casinos. Our mission is to stop casinos from coming to Philadelphia and close any that open.

Our Successes

Since that first rally, we have created a grassroots movement to halt predatory gambling in our city, including:

• Working with civic leaders across the city and Asian Americans United in opposing and successfully eliminating Foxwoods’ proposed site in the heart of the city.
• Causing more than two and a half years of delays before SugarHouse casino opened, at forcing the casino to open at one-third the size. While we continue to oppose any casino in Philadelphia, this means SugarHouse is having two-thirds' less of a negative impact on our city.
• Pressuring Mayor Nutter to oppose both Delaware riverfront sites, stopping Foxwoods from building at the site at Delaware and Reed after it had allegedly sunk $170 million into the project. Having been kicked out of Center City and no longer welcome in South Philly, Foxwoods is currently struggling to get even basic financing for its casino.
• Running Operation Hidden Costs, our first campaign focused on the economic costs of bringing an addiction-based industry into the city of Philadelphia, and publishing the Snake Eyes report detailing the poor investments Philly casinos make.
• Earning thousands of television, newspaper, and internet articles about this struggle, including generating coverage in The Washington Post, CNN, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, and international press. Most notably, shifting the editorial position of The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News from strongly in support of the casinos to strongly opposed.
• Organizing with national anti-casino groups, including speaking at the national Stop Predatory Gambling conference, and sharing material and contacts with similar groups in places like Gettysburg, Pa.; Columbus, Ohio; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, Ill.; Anne Arundel County, Md.; Ft. Wayne, Ind.; and across Massachusetts.
• Leading more than two dozen trainings and organizing events to grow our leadership capacity, including direct action training, media workshops and community organizing.

We've done all this with an opponent that bought nearly every major public relations firm in the city to discredit us. SugarHouse claims our delay tactics have cost it $100 million, which included their hiring of private investigators to try to smear and intimidate us, law firms to intimidate and threaten lawsuits, and an aggressive public relations strategy.

Our core beliefs and strategy have shown to be effective. We believe in strengthening the power of the people through grassroots organizing, direct action, and sustained public involvement.

Timeline of anti-casino activism in Philadelphia

July 4, 2004: Act 71

Act 71 passes in late-night session with no public input. Authorizes expansion of gaming to stand-alone slots parlors, including two casinos in Philadelphia.

Jan. 25, 2005: Philadelphia Gaming Task Force (PGTF)

Mayor Street establishes a local Gaming Advisory Task Force to make recommendations on all aspects of the introduction of the industry to our city.

June 22, 2005: Court Ruling upholds local zoning

Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules Act 71 constitutional, except for three parts, including attempted preemption of zoning powers.

Oct. 27, 2005: PGTF reports

PGTF makes final report; recommends creation of Philadelphia Gaming Commission. (The City has not done so.) The report also found that over 60% of population opposes casinos in or near their own neighborhood.

Oct. 27, 2005: Multi-Community Alliance formed

Neighborhoods near a proposed casino site form the Multi-Community Alliance. First community-wide meeting attended by over 400 residents.

March 20, 2006: Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) releases partial application information

PGCB releases Impact Report, 1 of over 40 appendixes of the application. (Continues to be the most current Impact Report available on their website, despite updates by casino operators.)

March 30, 2006: Neighbors Allied for the Best Riverfront (NABR) begins

Fishtown residents had their first opportunity to talk with an operator of the three proposed casinos that could be built in or next to their neighborhood. Over 180 residents attended the meeting and voiced strong opposition to the proposed SugarHouse Casino.

April 10–12, 2006: Hearings for Philadelphia slots parlors at Drexel University

PGCB restricts public input to three minutes. Denies citizen requests for more hearings.

June 1, 2006: City Council asks for more time; Casino-Free Philadelphia created

Philadelphia City Council passes resolution calling for extension of public comment period. Casino-Free Philadelphia created to organize growing anti-casino sentiment.

June 2, 2006: Public Comments End

PGCB public comment period ends. PGCB dismisses calls for extension of time for public input on Philadelphia slots parlors. 98% of comments submitted to PGCB oppose the Philadelphia casinos (only 51 of 2,969 comments support casinos).

Throughout summer and into fall, 2006

Journalists and citizens make repeated requests for up to date information. PGCB dismisses requests.

June 28, 2006: PGCB close hearings rather than allow public input

Casino-Free Philadelphia and others not allowed to speak at PGCB hearing. Board Chair recesses hearing when appeal to state's Sunshine Act made.

June 28, 2006: Sunshine Express

Residents from across the city take a bus to Harrisburg to attempt to testify at PGCB hearing. Several members interrupt hearing and force it into recess.

Sep. 17, 2006: Inky editorial declares casinos a "done deal"

Inquirer Editor Christ Satullo claims casino activists should focus on reducing harm because "the case for casinos here was always aimed at Harrisburg's needs, not Philly's." Argues City of Philadelphia has no power to stop casinos.

Oct. 19, 2006: Citizens win the city of Philadelphia the power to zone casinos

Senator Vincent Fumo turns 180? and remands to Philadelphia the power to zone casinos, effectively reminding Philadelphia it has the right to control its destiny. The Daily News: "Citizens, especially those living along the river, made their voices heard, and they should get the credit for this excellent turnabout."

Oct. 30, 2006: Casino-Free Philly Launches Operation Transparency

Casino Free Philadelphia launches Operation Transparency, aimed at opening up state PGCB operations.

Dec. 11, 2006: Philly 14 arrested

The culmination of Operation Transparency ends with fourteen Casino-Free Philly members being arrested in Harrisburg for carrying out a "citizens' document search."

Dec. 21, 2006: PGCB announces casino sites in Philadelphia

Foxwoods and Sugarhouse awarded licenses to open slots parlors

Jan. 07: Casino-Free Philly organizes No Way Without Our Say

Casino-Free Philly launches petition drive for change in City Charter to keep casinos away from schools, places of worship, and homes.

Feb. 14, 2007: 27,000+ signatures acquired

Casino-Free Philly acquires more than the required 20,000 signatures. On appeal from casino interests, a judge throws out the petitions.

March 7, 2007: Philadelphia Voter Poll Published

Casino-Free Philadelphia commissions poll by Global Strategy Group that shows that 79% of Philadelphia voters support prohibiting casinos from being built within 1,500 feet of residential communities, schools, playgrounds, and places of worship; 78% of voters support giving communities the power to decide whether a casino is built in their neighborhood.

March 15, 2007: Council votes 17–0 for citizen choice

Philadelphia City Council votes 17–0 to place the question proposed by Casino-Free Philly on May 15 Primary Election ballot.

March 29, 2007: Major Vetoes, Council Overrides

Mayor Street vetoes the ballot question; City Council overrides veto 17–0.

April 16, 2007: Supreme Court rules against Ballot Question

State Supreme Court issues injunction (5–2), effectively blocking a May 15 vote on City Charter change to control casino location.

May 1, 2007: "Ballot Box Philadelphia"

Casino-Free Philly announces it will hold an alternative election if Supreme Court injunction remains in effect.

May 15, 2007: Philly's Ballot Box on Election Day

The PGCB, SugarHouse, and Foxwoods sue the city to prevent PA citizens from voting on the 1,500-foot buffer referendum. A sticker stating "Removed by Court Order" is placed over already-printed ballot question on each voting machine. Casino-Free Philly designs and runs Philadelphia's first citizens' election, Philly's Ballot Box. More than 13,000 people (60% of all voters) across the city participated and 95% said "YES" to the 1,500-foot buffer.

Dec. 6, 2007: Practice site occupation

Dec. 20, 2007: First annual holiday party

Feb. 27, 2008: Operation Hidden Costs

A campaign that highlights the real economic and social costs of casinos is launched.

April 10, 2008: Debate-in

Rather than listen to the concerns of his constituents, Governor Rendell closes his office and refuses to let Casino-Free Philly members talk to his staff. So Casino-Free Philly sets up a podium and holds the first ever "debate-in" in the lobby of the Bellevue (HQ of Gov. Rendell and PREIT).

Aug. 9, 2008: Practice site-reclamation at Foxwoods

Oct. 9, 2008: Youth Speakout & Town Hall Meeting in Chinatown with Councilman DiCicco

Hundreds of residents of Chinatown crowd into Holy Redeemer Chinese Church for a public meeting on Foxwoods. The proposed plan would place the casino at the Gallery.

Nov. 1, 2008: Chinatown March to City Hall & Public Hearing

The march was considered by many observers to be the largest march in Pennsylvania about casino concerns. We counted over 600 people by the time we left Chinatown, and one news site quoted a Philadelphia police officer who said the numbers were closer to 1,000 by the time we reached City Hall.

Nov. 12, 2008: 23,514 petition signatures delivered to Mayor Nutter

Sixteen people representing a group of faith communities, neighborhood groups, and a design group held a press conference at City Hall to demand the Nov. 13 planned CED vote be delayed and the administration commit to a serious process of study for re-siting Foxwoods casino. A foot-and-a-half tall stack of more than 23,000 signatures is handed to Mayor Nutter himself.

Dec. 17, 2008: Beginning of coalition

First Meeting to organize a citywide coalition to stop the Gallery Casino held at Leeway Foundation.

Dec. 20, 2008: Second annual holiday party

Jan. 27, 2009: Declaration of Independence from Casinos

We seek to embolden one Philadelphia elected official — a Philadelphia politician representing us in City Hall, Harrisburg or even Washington — to publicly adopt the position that casinos, no matter the location, would be bad for Philadelphia

Feb. 18, 2009: No Casino in the Heart of our City Coalition Formed

Press Conference held outside the Bellevue where citywide Coalition calls upon city and civic leaders to stop the predatory casino industry.

April 8, 2009: Get on the bus: Struggle goes to Harrisburg

PGCB holds a public meeting in Harrisburg to learn why casinos proposed for Philadelphia haven't opened yet. 80 people travel to meeting to say: we are the barriers to slots in Philadelphia. Sugarhouse and Foxwoods reps leave in shame through the back door.

May 14, 2009: No Blank Check for Casinos

The Coalition begins a letter-writing campaign to make sure council regulates the industry to their full ability and prevents predatory practices.

June 6, 2009: Beat the House

Casino-Free Philly organizes the first anti-casino protest held within a casino at Harrah's Chester.

June 25, 2009: No Slots Spot

Anti-Casino Circus held to celebrate the opening of the Coalition's new office, the No Slots Spot.

Aug. 28, 2009: Foxwoods out of Chinatown

PGCB kicks Foxwoods out of Chinatown and extends its license on the condition it return to its original South Philly location.

Sep. 29, 2009: SugarHouse site blockade

Fourteen people are arrested at the Sugarhouse site for blocking construction workers from entering the site.

Oct. 8, 2009: SugarHouse groundbreaking

SugarHouse holds private groundbreaking ceremony so dozens of protestors drown out proceedings with chants and an airplane banner reading "Poverty. Crime. Addiction ... Jackpot" flies overhead.

Nov. 12, 2009: Protest at Senator Kitchen's office

Kitchen is one of the co-sponsors of the gaming reform bill that includes a provision that would allow casinos to offer easy lines of credit.

Dec. 9, 2009: Protest at Senator Hughes' office

The Coalition forces a meeting with Senator Hughes where he promises to work with his colleagues to remove the "slots on credit" provision and says that the Coalition is making an impact.

Dec. 10, 2009: Third annual holiday party

Jan. 8, 2010: Table games legalized

A bill amending the legalization of slot machines to include table games in PA casinos passes in the state House of Representatives with a vote of 103–89.

Feb. 16, 2010: Trial and Acquittal of SugarHouse 14

The fourteen Philadelphians arrested in Sep. 2009 for blocking the entrance to the SugarHouse Casino construction site are acquitted of all charges.

March 3, 2010: PGCB Foxwoods Hearing

Casino-Free volunteers travel to Harrisburg to witness and protest at a PGCB hearing. PGCB unanimously votes to deny Las Vegas casino operator Steve Wynn' s proposal and continue to fine the Foxwoods project $2000 per day.

April 8, 2010: Wynn Bails!

Steve Wynn suddenly pulls out of deal with Foxwoods, leaving them without a primary investor.

April 29, 2010: State moves to revoke Foxwoods license

PGCB files a complaint against Foxwoods, the first step in the process to revoke the casino's gaming license.

June 1, 2010: Casino-Free turns four

Johnny Brenda's sponsors a Fourth Birthday Happy Hour.

June 25, 2010: US Social Forum

Casino-Free leads a workshop on leading successful economic campaigns at the US Social Forum in Detroit, MI.

Sep. 20, 2010: Memorial Service for Our City

A Memorial Service is held SugarHouse Casino site with city faith community leaders to acknowledge the many types of loss Philadelphia will experience as a result of predatory gambling tactics.

Sep. 23, 2010: First Casino Town Watch

SugarHouse Casino opens, Casino-Free launches Casino Town Watch to ensure community safety.

Oct. 27, 2010: Foxwoods extension

Foxwoods gets another month-long extension from the PGCB to work on their deal with Harrah's.

Oct. 28, 2010: Casino-Free Future Party

Casino-Free hosts a sustainer party to secure ongoing financial support for and celebrate its successes.

Nov. 13, 2010: Second Casino Town Watch at SugarHouse

Nov. 18, 2010: Second Foxwoods extension

Foxwoods gets a second month-long extension from the PGCB to work on their deal with Harrah's.

Dec. 18, 2010: Anti-Casino movement victory!

Foxwoods is dead, their license is revoked!