SugarHouse Casino
Encyclopedia
SugarHouse Casino is a casino
entertainment development along the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
's Fishtown
neighborhood. It was one of five stand-alone casinos awarded a gaming license on December 20, 2006 by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
. On January 24, 2008, the proposed SugarHouse Casino's submerged lands license was revoked by Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia. The first phase opened on September 23, 2010.
The 1300000 square feet (120,774 m²) casino complex is being built on the 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) site of the former Jack Frost Sugar Refinery, hence the "Sugar House" name. Phase I, estimated at $550 million, includes a state-of-the-art casino floor with 3,000 slot machines, and tables, along with a variety of retail and dining outlets. Future phases of the project include a 500-room hotel with health spa, a 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) event center, and expanded dining and retail facilities.
It is estimated that SugarHouse Casino will generate in excess of $1 billion in gaming taxes to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia over the first five years of operation.
On April 15, 2008, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court convened in Philadelphia to determine if the City of Philadelphia had the right to lease the land where the casino is planning to build. The city's Mayor Nutter revoked the SugarHouse license in January and the city's lawyers claimed the city never had the authority to issue the license in the first place. The owners of SugarHouse Casino argued that the city cannot legally revoke a license to build on the riverbank. On August 22, 2008 the Supreme Court ruled that the permits were legal.
On October 9, 2009 groundbreaking on the project began. The casino opened on September 23, 2010.
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
entertainment development along the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
's Fishtown
Fishtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fishtown is a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Located immediately northeast of Center City, its borders are somewhat disputed today due to many factors, but are roughly defined by the triangle created by the Delaware River, Frankford Avenue, and York Street...
neighborhood. It was one of five stand-alone casinos awarded a gaming license on December 20, 2006 by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is a governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, founded in 2004 as the state licensing and regulatory agency responsible for overseeing slot machines and casino gambling in the state....
. On January 24, 2008, the proposed SugarHouse Casino's submerged lands license was revoked by Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia. The first phase opened on September 23, 2010.
History
Many neighborhod residents have sought to prevent the casino from coming to the proposed building site due to quality of life issues. Residents of Fishtown have led the creation and provided leadership to the prominent anti-casino organizations including Casino Free Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Neighborhood Alliance, and Neighbors Allied for the Best Riverfront. On the other side, Fishtown Action (FACT), the largest membership organization in the nearby community with over 600 members, has continuously supported the casino project.The 1300000 square feet (120,774 m²) casino complex is being built on the 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) site of the former Jack Frost Sugar Refinery, hence the "Sugar House" name. Phase I, estimated at $550 million, includes a state-of-the-art casino floor with 3,000 slot machines, and tables, along with a variety of retail and dining outlets. Future phases of the project include a 500-room hotel with health spa, a 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) event center, and expanded dining and retail facilities.
It is estimated that SugarHouse Casino will generate in excess of $1 billion in gaming taxes to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia over the first five years of operation.
On April 15, 2008, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court convened in Philadelphia to determine if the City of Philadelphia had the right to lease the land where the casino is planning to build. The city's Mayor Nutter revoked the SugarHouse license in January and the city's lawyers claimed the city never had the authority to issue the license in the first place. The owners of SugarHouse Casino argued that the city cannot legally revoke a license to build on the riverbank. On August 22, 2008 the Supreme Court ruled that the permits were legal.
On October 9, 2009 groundbreaking on the project began. The casino opened on September 23, 2010.