How will having a Casino impact local neighborhoods?

SugarHouse Casino will have a positive economic impact on the community by generating substantial tax revenues for the City of Philadelphia, creating a stable demand for employment and by attracting consumers to the area to the benefit of local businesses.

What is the SugarHouse Foundation? How does it work and who does it benefit?

The SugarHouse Foundation will be a vehicle to give back to the community. Funding will be provided through earnings generated by the SugarHouse Casino. For more information click here.

Traffic is a major community concern. How will having SugarHouse Casino in our neighborhood affect our traffic volume?

SugarHouse Casino intends to be a good neighbor, especially as it relates to traffic in the surrounding community. Existing access routes and capacity from
I-95 to the site are more than adequate to serve the potential development and operation, according to the Gannett Fleming traffic study. Nevertheless, PennDOT is working on a reconfiguration and reconstruction of the I-95 on and off ramps, together with the construction of an alternate route plan. As PennDOT works to finalize their plans, we will update that information here.

Learn more about I-95 Reconstruction at www.95revive.com.

When the Casino is under construction, will there be increased noise and pollution?

Given the location of the site on the Delaware River, neighboring industrial properties to the north and the gated residential community to the south (Waterfront Square), the impact on the surrounding area resulting from actual land development and construction activities will be minimal.

What job opportunities will the Casino bring?

In the short term, SugarHouse will directly and indirectly create an estimated 1,400 temporary jobs, many being skilled construction opportunities. When Phase I of the project is completed, SugarHouse will directly create about 1,100 permanent, high-quality new jobs. The Casino is also estimated to indirectly create more than 2,000 new retail and hospitality jobs and 2,600 jobs in tangential service industries and local businesses.
SugarHouse is creating a workforce development program to recruit and properly train future employees within the region to work at the casino.

Will having a Casino in the neighborhood increase crime rates?

Research has shown that per capita crime typically decreases when a Casino is developed in a neighborhood (Click here to read the NGISC study).

Additionally, the Philadelphia Gaming Advisory Task Force has conducted an in depth study of comparable markets and concluded that there is little correlation between crime rates and casino gambling. (Click here to download the Task Force Report).

Once operational, SugarHouse Casino will implement a substantial casino security and surveillance plan. Additionally, SugarHouse will work closely with the Philadelphia Police to patrol surrounding streets and neighborhoods.

The SugarHouse site is protected by and under the jurisdiction of the City of Philadelphia Police Department, which provides a fully-trained paid staff on duty 24 hours a day. The site is also protected by the City of Philadelphia Fire Department and by the Philadelphia Fire Department Emergency Medical Services Unit, which provides emergency, pre-hospital care and transportation by a fully-trained paid staff on duty 24 hours a day.

Will the public be able to acess the waterfront once the Casino is open?

SugarHouse Casino has been designed with community interests in mind. Public access to the waterfront and treatment of the river's edge is a vital component of the plan. A continuous pedestrian promenade is proposed along the entire length of the property, with public access at both Penn Street to the south and Shackamaxon Street to the north. The public will be welcome to use this space for strolling, jogging, biking and even fishing.

To increase the sense of activity along the river's edge, a number of the casino's proposed restaurants, including a fine dining establishment, will be positioned along the waterfront. In time, we hope that this site will also include a water taxi and ferry service to facilitate easy access to and from points of interest along the burgeoning Philadelphia and Camden waterfronts.

What will be the SugarHouse's hours of operation?

SugarHouse Casino intends to operate on a 24-hour a day basis. Our hours of operation will not negatively impact the surrounding communities and neighborhoods. In fact, the Philadelphia Gaming Advisory Task Force has issued data showing that 24-hour operations alleviate many public nuisance issues, including loitering, noise pollution and robbery. Operating 24 hours allows employees and patrons to come and go on a flexible schedule reducing traffic congestion and enhancing safety by diminishing the likelihood for casino employees and patrons to be targets of criminal activity. Atlantic City officials cited decreases in public safety issues when casinos became 24-hour operations.

Will SugarHouse be serving alcohol 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

SugarHouse Casino will adhere to the rules and regulations set forth by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

What measures is SugarHouse putting in place to help people with gambling problems?

SugarHouse Casino is committed to educating employees and patrons on the importance of responsible gambling and the need to recognize and treat problem gambling in a comprehensive fashion. Through specific policies and procedures, including self exclusion and referral programs, we will strive to minimize problem and underage gambling in the local community. We have devised a Responsible Gaming Plan that is based in large part on the American Gambling Association (AGA) Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming. Our Plan has been submitted to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

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