Penn designers try hand at casino plans

Students in the School of Design spent the weekend working on proposals for two sites currently under consideration for slot machines in the city.

The project was designed by PennPraxis, which is a vehicle for the University to carry out intellectual experiments regarding practical planning problems.

The design teams, made up of art and architecture students, were giving a brief introduction to the issue of gaming in Philadelphia Friday evening.

The event known as the "Philadelphia gaming charrette" -- was jointly organized by PennPraxis and the Philadelphia Daily News. It was designed to combine the best of the University, the city government and the press to help create the most beneficial plans for gambling within the city.

"This very well could be the most important issue facing the city in a long, long time," Mayor John Street said.

In his emotional and inspired plea to the students, he spoke out against the state's handling of gaming.

"The state is going to usurp rights that are traditionally ours and force their will on us," Street said.

Street not only spoke of the political and legal repercussions gambling could have on the city, but continuously warned of "the risk of upsetting the delicate balance" of life in Philadelphia.

Street stressed the importance of careful planning from the officials, noting that his grandchildren would be the ones to deal with the long-term effects of the gambling facilities.

Other speakers addressed more specific aspects of gaming and urban design.

Paul Levy, president and executive director of Philadelphia's Center City District, presented an industry overview entitled "Playing the hand we were dealt."

Levy asked the students to consider the pros and cons of numerous sites around Philadelphia, suggesting that these gaming facilities could be used to fill development gaps in the city if properly planned.

However, Levy also warned the student design teams that either of the sites -- one at Market East, near 8th Street and another on the Delaware River -- analyzed in the charrette may not actually be where the projects are built.

"There are as many unannounced sites as there are unannounced candidates for mayor," Levy said, playing on the current ambiguous political situation in the city.

The casinos are slated to be completed in the coming years, following a summer of heavy debate in Harrisburg -- which resulted in legalized slot machines in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is slated to have two locations.

Levy was followed by Jennifer Lendler, a certified gaming expert, who gave a brief presentation outlining the history of casino design.

Lendler listed the design needs of casinos and debunked certain casino myths -- such as the belief that casinos cannot be successful with windows, citing the success of the Casino de Montreal -- to help ensure that the teams incorporated the gaming industry's needs into their plans as well.

Lendler noted that one-story buildings were optimal for dealing with the heavy quantities of coin that are involved with slots as well as generating excitement on the casino floor.

Still, some speakers were more skeptical about the arrival of casinos to the city.

Economic development consultant Donovan Rypkema said that there is no value added by casinos and that "the gambling industry is not a form of economic development, but rather a form of voluntary taxation."

"The revenues of gambling are not a slam dunk," said Rypkema, who added that gambling is addictive for politicians looking for other sources of revenue and projects to spur development.

However, Rypkema also noted that "casinos are only the latest 'solution du jour' for urban development" and that similarities exist between large-scale projects as different as zoos, stadiums and casinos.

Although Rypkema warned against investing too much hope into these projects, he did say that big projects can be successful when planned correctly.

Rypkema concluded by advising the design teams to "view the gaming projects as civic architecture."

Noting that casinos only come into existence with the blessing of a public authority, he added that the casinos' only reason for being is for public benefit.

The last member of the panel was a member of Penn's Department of Landscape Architecture, David Gouverneur.

Gouverneur specifically addressed the waterfront sites and noted that "waterfronts are coming back to life."

The design groups will publicly present their possible design solutions for the gaming sites today.

Bringing slots to the city - July 5, 2004: Gov. Ed Rendell signs a bill that allows 61,000 slot machines at 14 locations across the state, including Phila. - Nov. 15, 2004: The Pa. House of Representatives bans lawmakers from owning a stake ingambling-related businesses. - Dec. 15, 2004: The state Gaming Control Board meets for the first time.

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