The City of Brotherly Love...And Gambling

Philadelphia is set to become the largest city in the nation with casinos, but boosters worry that the gaming venues won't fit with the city's recent revitalization.

1 minute read

August 10, 2006, 5:00 AM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"In July 2004, the Pennsylvania State Legislature passed a law allowing the creation of fourteen gaming establishments, two of which must be freestanding 5,000-slot parlors in Philadelphia. The casinos could draw as many as 40,000 people a day and would make Philadelphia the largest city in the nation with legalized gambling."

To cope with concerns regarding the impact of gambling establishments, the city has adopted a set of design guidelines which were formulated by the Design Advocacy Group of Philadelphia (DAG).

"Currently, five applicants, including Donald Trump, have proposed gaming facilities in Philadelphia. Four of the proposed casinos are on the waterfront, which is fast being developed without benefit of an overall plan. Meanwhile, efforts continue in the Pennsylvania legislature to rescind municipal zoning and other local oversight of gambling developments. The state expects to issue the first gaming licenses by the end of this year."

Wednesday, August 9, 2006 in The Next American City

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

Mamdani behind a microphone, in front of a snowbank

Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax survives legal challenge

A panel of judges found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate injury as a result of New York City's implementation of the tax.

November 6 - CNN

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6 - Grist

People board a bus in Seattle.

Seattle passes record-breaking transit services expansion

Proposition 1 will double the city’s transit tax to add 95,000 more bus trips and preserve 180,000 bus trips annually.

November 6 - KOMO News

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.