Pa. auditor general wants arena tied to slots profits

[dboss]

http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg ... 649733.stm

FINALLY!!!! Someone else is calling out Onorato and O'Connor!!

[Draftnik]

"Mr. Wagner said the fact that Isle of Capri is willing to pay a $50 million fee to the state, plus build a $290 million arena, suggests that the license to build a casino in the city is worth at least $340 million. Based on that, any operator who gets it "could easily make a commitment for $150 million" toward an arena, he said."


Here is Plan B from the State Auditor General.

$90M State
$150M slots
$50M naming rights
$? RAD

[penny lane]

He gets it! He's the first to make a bold statement;hopefully more politicos will jump on the bus! (go jerome)

[Stoosh]

Taking Jack Wagner's ideas a little further...

$150M from the slots revenues
$25M from naming rights (I believe they got $10M from Mellon)
$25M private funding (given that the Steelers & Pirates contributed some of their own money toward their new buildings)
$90M from the state

[Bowser]

and Harrah's will file a lawsuit stating the $150 milion was never part of the requirements in the application, if they do not receive the slots license.

The Penguins have tried for seven years to get an arena and have been told for 99% of the time, there was absolutely no tax payer money from city and county available.

I'll believe this Plan B can work, when I see the plan....

[dboss]

and Harrah's will file a lawsuit stating the $150 milion was never part of the requirements in the application, if they do not receive the slots license.

The Penguins have tried for seven years to get an arena and have been told for 99% of the time, there was absolutely no tax payer money from city and county available.

I'll believe this Plan B can work, when I see the plan....

I think the Gaming Board can basically do whatever they want. SS has submitted a proposal, but that doesn't mean the gaming board has to accept it. The law for choosing who gets the slots is very ambiguous, things like what's best for the community, etc. That is all based on opinion. SS would have no legal grounds.

[Pitts]

and Harrah's will file a lawsuit stating the $150 milion was never part of the requirements in the application, if they do not receive the slots license.

The Penguins have tried for seven years to get an arena and have been told for 99% of the time, there was absolutely no tax payer money from city and county available.

I'll believe this Plan B can work, when I see the plan....

I'm sure that if the gaming board "suggested" to the SS group that they include funding for an arena and they can win the license, they'd be all over it.

[bill from turtle creek]

Well, even if it doesn't work, I think I'd still like to run out and vote for Jack Wagner immediately. Whatever he wants to run for, I'll vote for him.

[spi]

GOOD FOR JACK WAGNER. IT'S ABOUT TIME tHE O BROTHERS GOT A SHOUT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mango Salsa]

"They are critical in terms of being proactive," said Mr. Wagner, of Beechview. "I've heard comments such as, we need to look at the proposals and see what the Gaming [Control Board] thinks. I'm not that patient.

Calling out O'Connor and Onorato. Good boy.

He said a proposal by Forest City Enterprises and Harrah's Entertainment to build a casino and housing at Station Square may have the inside track, because it combines high tax revenue with experience in gambling and tourism.

And bribe money for the ones that make the decisions

He gave a proposal by the Penguins and Isle of Capri Casinos to build a casino and arena in the Hill District "no greater than a one-in-three chance" of prevailing when the board makes its decision, expected by early 2007.

Last I heard a decision was coming in the fall, now it's next year??? I can't take much more of this.

[FLPensFan]

Don't forget a key statement Wagner made in the article:

He said a proposal by Forest City Enterprises and Harrah's Entertainment to build a casino and housing at Station Square may have the inside track, because it combines high tax revenue with experience in gambling and tourism. That proposal does not include arena funding.