By Joe Shaheeli
– Philadelphia’s second casino is moving along and its passage through the City’s legal requirements is expected to be speedily approved as voters, burdened by a heavy tax load, are looking for the relief it will bring. The revenue it will generate in taxes for the city and the Commonwealth will help ward off any calls for additional taxes for the support of the City’s public schools.
Surveys have long indicated Philadelphia will benefit from the addition of a second casino, a long-overdue event.
The Xfinity Live! Casino will be located in the sports complex. Its opening will provide over 1,000 jobs, millions in estimated revenue, and will end, happily for taxpayers, the monopoly long enjoyed by SugarHouse casino located in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia.
Cordish Cos., which operates several other casinos, is expected to put a big dent in the many unemployed minority workers in this city, providing hands-on training to the more than 1,000 it will employ.
That will be one of the focuses of Cordish Cos. according to COO Zed Smith.
“As Chief Operating Officer of The Cordish Cos., and an African American,” he stated, “I am very proud of our corporate leadership record in the area of diversity and inclusion, both nationally and in Philadelphia.”
He noted, “In fact, our company’s Xfinity Live! Minority-participation program has been identified as a model program by the City’s Economic Opportunity Agency. Our companies have been recognized by the DC/Maryland Minority Business Association as the ‘Most Inclusive Company’ in that region.”
The Cordish Cos., he added, “have developed a model diversity and equal-opportunity plan to maximize the participation by minority, veterans, local businesses and residents in the development and operations our planned world-class hotel, casino and entertainment project.”
Smith said he is working with 2nd Dist. Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, City Council and the area’s African American leaders to create an open door for minority employees.
Charges of racial discrimination have been hurled periodically at Cordish casinos. But they have been dismissed by the courts to date. They are periodically resurrected by those who don’t wish to see a second casino come into existence. Its record of minority hiring at other casinos it operates readily refutes such discriminatory charges.
In reference to discriminatory charges leveled by the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Action Network, Johnson said, “I take these concerns very seriously, and will ensure that we fully examine them during the process. I was encouraged recently by the report of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity that looked closely at the Cordish Cos. and found no basis for claims of racial insensitivity. This casino presents Philadelphia with a great economic development opportunity, but we must ensure that the operation will be fair and equitable.”
Source – http://www.phillyrecord.com/2015/09/xfinity-live-casino-will-ease-philly-taxes-bring-jobs/
