Duquesne University to oppose casino plan near Mellon Arena

[dboss]

http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg ... 648926.stm

[Pitts]

Oh-oh...that's bad. A university SHOULD be opposed to gambling so close to their territory. Man, the Pens are gonna have a hard time shooing this one away.

[Pitts]

At least they are supporting a new arena along with their complaint.

[dboss]

Yeah I agree this is not good news for the Pens, but has anybody ever heard of UNLV??? Last time I checked, their reputation was a little better than Duquesne's. Also, when is Duquesne planning on launching a campaign against the bars around that area? This is just a hypothesis, but I bet young adults consume most of the alcohol at those bars.

[netwolf]

What I would be interested in seeing is if those studies are looking at full blown casinos or slots parlors. There is a difference...

[skullman80]

Great...just great. *sigh*

[spoon]

Next up at Duquesne... searches in dorm rooms for rolled quarters since it temps students to play slots.

What is the age limit to get into a slaots parlor anyways?

[Pitts]

I would think 18 is the age limit. But, I could be wrong.

[tifosi77]

The UNLV campus is close to a mile off the strip, altho I'm not sure how close the nearest gambling facility is. But remember.....in Vegas, everything has a slot machine. The Chevron station across from the main campus gate could have three or four video poker machines inside.

But it's a bit different in Las Vegas, cos the gambling came before the university. UNLV only opened its doors in the mid-to-late 1950s. Of course, at the time their location between Paradise Road and Maryland Parkway was well away from any casinos.

However, the timing of the Dukeznee complaint seems a bit....convenient. I mean, it's not like the notion of putting a gambling parlor uptown is a recent addition to the Pens' proposal.

[Jesse]

21 as far as I know.

[dboss]

Hell, I could have LIVED in strip club's and bars my entire college life!! I agree, the timing seems very convenient! Also, a quote from the Post-Gazette...'Forest City's stable of investors and board members is impressive, including Scott Cowen, president of Tulane University'. Seems a little contrdictory to me.

[wondermoose]

Duquesne is a college, not some high school. These are adults they have going to their school and it's their decision whether or not they go to the casino. I don't think they will take this very seriously as it is not Duquesne's business to decide what is right or wrong for their students as to what goes on off campus.

[dboss]

Duquesne is a college, not some high school. These are adults they have going to their school and it's their decision whether or not they go to the casino. I don't think they will take this very seriously as it is not Duquesne's business to decide what is right or wrong for their students as to what goes on off campus.

Couldn't agree more! Are there any Duquesne students on this board? If so, they should come out and say that the University should not be speaking about their views.

[relantel]

21 as far as I know.

I would assume Atlantic City is 21, simply because they serve complimentary alcohol inside. I was over 21 the first time I was there, so I don't really know for sure.

I know with things like PA lottery, it is 18.

[Jerri]

Duquesne should welcome the opportunity to have Uptown rebuilt. Their campus is in the getto. My sister goes there and she has to pass pimps and drug addicts on her way to class everyday. I think the university should have a bigger problem with that than with some slot machines.

[passmaster16]

Couldn't agree more! Are there any Duquesne students on this board? If so, they should come out and say that the University should not be speaking about their views.

LGP's own Mr. Mark Madden graduated from Duquesne. If there is anybody who is at liberty to comment on this development, it would be him.

[cojac]

21 as far as I know.

18 in west virginia, not sure what it will be here though

[Jamie]

If the control board recieves numerous letters of support from the residents that live in the hill district it could counter the letter from Duquesne. Lets face it, most of these strudents do not maintain a full time residence in Pittsburgh.

[dboss]

21 as far as I know.

18 in west virginia, not sure what it will be here though

I took this directly from the Slots legislation.

(8) REQUIRE THAT EACH LICENSED GAMING ENTITY PROHIBIT
PERSONS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE FROM OPERATING OR USING SLOT
MACHINES.

This makes the crap from Duquesne even more questionable!

[dboss]

To the PG writer who wrote this story:

Mr. Belko,

I took this information DIRECTLY from the slots legislation posted at http://www.pgcb.state.pa.us/press/HB2330P4272.pdf.
Per Lines 27-29 on page 32 of the gaming legislation:

REQUIRE THAT EACH LICENSED GAMING ENTITY PROHIBIT
PERSONS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE FROM OPERATING OR USING SLOT
MACHINES.

Below are quotes attributed to Mr. Dougherty in your article:
Duquesne President Charles J. Dougherty said in an interview the casino, if built, would be located only two to three blocks from campus. The university has about 10,000 students, about one-third of them in residence on the Bluff or nearby off-campus housing.

"We just don't think it makes sense and don't think it's fair to our students to put that kind of a temptation within a three-minute walk from campus," he said.

Based on both of these facts, I would like to know from Mr. Dougherty:

1) How many of the students that live on campus are 21 or older, thereby its legal for them to gamble?
2) Why are they taking this stand against a casino, but mentioning nothing about the bars located in the same proximity to campus? Most young adults spend a significantly larger percentage of their disposable income on alcohol. This seems like a very odd stance to take.
3) The studies cited by the President, were those studies based on 'Slots Only' or 'Slots and Table' casinos? A MUCH higher % of young adults prefer table games to Slots.
4) I guess Mr. Dougherty doesn't feel that a 5 minute walk to Station Square (4 if you take the 'T') or the North Shore would be much of a concern for the University.

It seems to me that Mr. Dougherty should have more of an issue with casinos in Pittsburgh in general and not just the Isle of Capri proposal. If that is the case, then that ship sailed over one and half years ago. I didn't hear him voicing much opposition at that time. I wonder how many campaign contributions Mr. Dougherty has made recently, or could it be Forest City's penchant for adding University President's to their Board of Director's??? All of that may be worth some further investigation.

[BJL]

Wish I had known this when they called a week or so ago looking for contributions to the annual fund. I said no anyway, but at least I could have told them this was the reason.

This from the same place that wouldn't allow us to have Comedy Central on campus because South Park was so offensive.

[bill from turtle creek]

Turns out that one of Forest City's investors is also on the Board of Directors at Duquesne. How very convenient.

Just another amusing coincidence, I guess.

[penny lane]

many colleges/universitites permit credit card companies to solicit on their campus
and nothing will put a student at financial risk faster than credit card debt.

It is in college or younger people learn to make choices and then take
responsiblity for the choice.

former president of Duquesne was also working in pittsburgh, for some kind
of board.
"Turns out that one of Forest City's investors is also on the Board of Directors at Duquesne. How very convenient.

Just another amusing coincidence, I guess." just hope pens fans are in time
to blow the cover off this pot of corruption.

[randy]

WHAT A JOKE

Gee, is the president of duquesne concerned that his campus is within a 3 mile walk of a part of the region that has more liquor licenses than ANY other region (the south side, folks). Ill bet underage drinking at that campus is a much bigger problem than gambling is.

EVEN BETTER- What about those former Duquesne football players that were not only dealing drugs big time from their south side apartment, but are currently doing LIFE in prison for murdering a rival, then throwing his corpse off a bridge into the Ohio River?

Sounds like there are bigger on campus issues to worry about. The student rushers from DU will let that ill informed prez know about it.


Anything the opposition comes up with, we will shoot down.

[roast]

as a catholic university, that pretty much has to be their offical stance. I went there and they are really opposed to anything that is deemed a "sin".

Really i think it would be good for Duq because it would help to revitialize the Hill and offer alot of disadvantaged people jobs. There were always homeless people walking around very late at Duquesne at night.