Gambling strikes me as a stupid waste of time and money. But since we already let people smoke until they get cancer and drink until they kill someone, what's the big deal? If I were King, I'd let people smoke weed, gamble and booze to their hearts' content. I'd even legalize those "massage parlors".Hey, we're killing this planet anyway, so let's party!
Now all the corporate pitchmen advocate that, no matter what our vice, we kill ourselves responsibly. Those Bud Girls really discourage teenage binge drinking, don't you think? And problem gambling? Who ya' gonna' believe, a billionaire casino owner or some dinky little church always preaching at you? Sheldon G. Adelson, the billionaire CEO behind Sands Bethworks, is even a recent recipient of the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship, given to those who exalt the common good over their own bottom line. They don't hand those out every day. According to Adelson, "the act of philanthropy and good corporate citizenship is not an obligation, it's an honor."
So don't be worried about that casino, which will contain 3,000 slot machines and electronic table games, 300 hotels rooms, 40 upscale stores, 8 restaurants and 4 night clubs, all of them under one roof. Don't fret about all that money leaving the Lehigh Valley economy and going straight back to corporate headquarters in Vegas. After all, the casino will have lots of menial jobs for you and me. We'll at least have the satisfaction of knowing that our slave wages help the philanthropy of a Woodrow Wilson award winner.
So it's no surprise that Chris Benedict, a Freedom High grad, would ask the new casino to help defray some of the cost of his class' 25th reunion, which will be held at Musikfest this year, jointly with Liberty High School. He's been soliciting corporate and business sponsorships as low as $50.
He was shot down by Susan Stachowski, Executive Assistant to the President, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.
"Regarding any request for contributions or investment, unfortunately, we would not be able to participate in any projects requiring financial support prior to our opening. Our commitment to our shareholders and the State is to get the project up and running as soon as possible and we are going to be focusing all our resources on accomplishing that goal."
Gee, she doesn't sound like Woodrow Wilson at all. I thought some things were supposed to be more important than the bottom line. Before that casino was approved, the Sands was handing out money like there's no tomorrow. For example, it contributed $2,500 to one of Benedict's classmates for an annual golf outing, Par Fore Kids, benefiting kids at Pembroke. The casino even threw in a free weekend trip to Las Vegas. I don't know if they threw in any Bud Girls. Now, Benedict's classmate can't even get the Sands to return his calls.
Incidentally, Lehigh County Exec Don Cunningham is a member of Diamond's graduating class. But what has he done lately?
Does Mr. Benedict want fries with his Waaaa Burger.
ReplyDeleteGimme a break, so corporate America owes something to everybody who's lookking for a handout.
Do you want to bet that the Sands has already contributed lots to our area legislators?
ReplyDeleteI bet you even have figures!
Under Pa. Law, casino owners are barred from giving campaign donations.
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ReplyDeleteHurrah, your correct
Bill
As they say in Vegas,"right on the money".
Bernie
You aren't that naive. And don't you think it is time to take a closer look as to where our esteemed legislators have their money parked. Normally I do not favor that sort of thing but given the Express-Times editorial today, I am concerned with the stink in the air.
Great blog and I am beginning to think that after the Sands is "up and running" there will be enough "I told you so's" to fill a large swimming pool. I have lived in Laughlin, NV, Las Vegas, NV, and been to other casino towns and I will tell you one thing, casinos are MEANT to be self contained. They don't want one dime leaving the establishment. Once you get in and gamble, eat, shop, and party, why would you venture out into South Bethlehem ? And to make things worth, residents of South Bethlehem will soon be going to the casino to gamble, eat, shop and party, so where does that leave the local establishments ? ALL TOGETHER NOW: I told you so !
ReplyDeleteAlfonso Todd
Oh, for God's sake - this is soooo ridiculous. As someone who has organized my Liberty High school class reunion since the 1980's, I'm appalled that anyone would complain that they didn't get "sponsorship" money from the Sands. We've never relied on corporate sponsors for our reunion and factored in all possible costs before formulating a cost for the reunion ticket.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we wait until the Sands is bringing in revenue before we gauge whether or not they will be financial supporters of the community. Granted, they spread a lot of bucks around to ingratiate themselves to Bethlehem before the were awarded the gaming license. That was smart business and an effort of displaying goodwill. Why don't we display some goodwill of our own and be patient before we all try to suck money from them before they've even made a nickel?
I've had an opportunity to work with them on a variety of community projects and they have displayed a good amount of generosity with their time, energy and expertise. I feel confident that they will come through financially after they are up and running(although maybe not to class reunions). If not, I'll be the first in line bitching.
By the way B.O., who is Diamond?
Lynn
I love that Special Ed Rendell, his supporting legislators, and local politicians with no vision have banked so much of PA's future on gambling.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like a very sound economic strategy.
Lynn,
ReplyDeleteDiamond is actually Chris Benedict. I screwed up towards the end of my post, and you're the second person to nail me.
I'm not so sure this is ridiculous, although your opinion is very welcome. The casino was passing out the cash earlier and made claims to being a good corporate citizen. The amount of $ being sought fromn a Bethlehem business by two Bethlehem high schools is certainly reasonable. And that class, unlike yours, is pretty much broke. A lot of money went for the illness of a classmate who did not last 5 years after graduation.
Lynn,
ReplyDeleteI'm also disturbed to read of "3,000 slot machines and electronic table games, 300 hotels rooms, 40 upscale stores, 8 restaurants and 4 night clubs, all of them under one roof." I have to wonder what that will do to all the neat little places springing up on south side.
Bernie,
ReplyDeleteI understand those concerns more than most because I work directly with the merchant community. My hope if the influx of people expected to the Sands Bethlehem site equals the number of people that have been projected, if only 1% of that influx is attracted to either one of our downtowns, our merchants will be very busy.
It is the onus of the merchant community to make the downtowns as attractive as possible. This could mean something as simple as making sure the sidewalk in front of your store is swept every morning and placing attractive flower pots at the store entrances OR something a little more comlicated like changing the way they do business: like keeping nightime and Sunday hours.
The majority of the stores on both sides of the river close in the 6:00pm zone, the restaurants are open, but the stores close. This needs to change and there are a growing number of proprietors that get it. But my feeling is that if these other stores do NOT change, they will be the ones to disappear. The world is different than when the Steel Execs' wives wandered through our streets in the daytime. Currently, a full 70% of all consumer spending (locals and visitors alike) takes place after 6:00 pm. Also Sundays are the most popular shopping day of the week. Many, if not most of the downtown Bethlehem stores are closed on Sundays.
The onus is also on the Downtown Bethlehem Association, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Bethlehem Marketing Council and the City of Bethlehem itself to keep the identity that we currently have: not Casinohem, but Bethlehem, rife with unique stores and attractions and a strong sense of its history.
In working with the Sands people, I discovered that their own focus studies show that even the hardened "gamer" would rather visit a casino that was in a versatile community than in an area that offered only a casino. They would rather go to a location that has a lot to offer other than gaming. A Historic area, local downtowns and other attractions are all part of the lure. The Sands recognize this and so do the above community organizations.
My next hope for this town is that when allocating dollars from the gaming revenue, a chunk of it is reserved for advertising the whole of Bethlehem and ALL of its assetts.
If all of this happens, I think the downtowns will not only survive the Sands Bethlehem arrival, but thrive.
Lynn
Lynn,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your perspective. For the sake of downtown Bethlehem merchants, I hope you're right. But 40 upscale stores and 8 restaurants give the casino patron every reason to stay there instead of exploring the community. I'm no businessperson but it seems to me you're making a big gamble. I hope we don't see another Atlantic City.
I remember visiting Atlantic City in the mid 70's and it was an unfriendly and sort of scary place to visit. Gambling changed the landscape of A.C., but it certainly did not create the poverty that we see now in some areas, if anything it improved some things.
ReplyDeleteIn Bethlehem we will have only one casino with a ton of other development associated with it. It's not the casino I worry about, it's the restaurants and shops that will come that have me nervous. But again, Bernie - 1% of the projected visitors (which equals 200-400 a day) will result in plenty of customers for our local merchants in our downtowns.
After singing "Luck Be a Lady" and throwing the dice, we're not just crossing our fingers for good luck, we are trying to educate the people that need to be educated to make this work....okay.... then I knock on wood.
I think we ALL hope for the best.
Lynn
Agreed.
ReplyDeleteThe hope that gambling will add money to the local community and raise the quality of the surrounding area was exactly the dream of Atlantic City when it invited casinos. The reality is far different. The casinos mostly did quite well except for a period when they had overextended their debt and had problems. See:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6556470/
The other areas of Atlantic City have shown little if any improvement.
Bethlehem may be looking for the pot of the rainbow only to find that the pot is all inside the casino. Obviously, the city will get a bucket of money, but for the merchants to expect trickle down might be too optimistic.
RS
Atlantic City is a toilet. One block, in some cases one half block off the boardwalk looks like Calcutta in most areas.
ReplyDeleteCasinos create self-contained environments with pumped-in oxygen, no clocks, no direct routes between key service locations, and plenty of lodging, entertainment, and dining options to keep you from ever going elsewhere. It works everywhere it's tried. It'll work in Bethlehem.
Good luck if we're aspiring to Atlantic City heights. Aim high! I'm so glad we're relying on gambling to fix so many things. I think Ed Rendell and his zany state and local cohorts are really on to something here.
"Gee, she doesn't sound like Woodrow Wilson at all."
ReplyDeleteYeah, she doesn't mention the League of Nations at all in that turn down! And where's her condemnation of the Kaiser!
Bernie -- that was one of the best lines you have ever written and I have the nasal burns from the coffee I spurted through my nose while reading it to prove it.
Sorry about the burns. But I appreciate the nice words.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Kuhn one of the owners of Bethworks is a slimy cheater. He cheats on his wife and I would stay clear of anything he touches! BEWARE!
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