Over the past year, a great deal of misinformation has been spread about casino gaming in the City of Philadelphia and the SugarHouse site in particular. While it is impossible to respond to every false charge made about us, we believe it is important for the public to be able to tell fact from fiction.

Myth #1: Philadelphia's casinos are the only casinos in the country near residential areas.

In fact, the vast majority of casinos across the country are near residential communities and many residential developments are specifically built around casinos in many jurisdictions including Atlantic City, Detroit, New Orleans, and Windsor, Ontario.

Myth #2: The SugarHouse site is the worst site for casino in Philadelphia.

Not only did the Mayor's Gaming Advisory Task Force state that the area where SugarHouse is to be located -- the North Central Delaware -- is the best location, but the Pennsylvania Gaming Board selected SugarHouse as the best applicant in the City.

Click here for the Mayor's Gaming Advisory Task Force Report >>

Click here to read the announcement from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board >>

Myth # 3: Casinos bring crime.

According to a 2000 study funded by the National Institute of Justice (visit the Depart of Justice website to view the report) reported, "Casinos do not appear to have any general or dramatic effect on crime..." Moreover, it is in the best interests of casino developers and operators that there be no fear of crime either at their facilities or in the surrounding neighborhoods because it deters visitors.

Myth #4: The community opposes SugarHouse.

The single largest community group in Fishtown -- Fishtown Action (FACT) -- has endorsed SugarHouse and advocated for its immediate construction. Moreover, groups like the New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) have actively supported building SugarHouse Casino.

Myth #6: Traffic studies have not been completed for casinos on Delaware Avenue.

There have been at least five different traffic studies, including ones by the Mayor's Gaming Advisory Task Force, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, SugarHouse, Foxwoods, and the City Council.

Download our updated Traffic Study >>

Myth #7: The Sugarhouse site is a nesting area for protected red-bellied turtles.

After an in depth investigation, it was clear that not only is there no evidence that the SugarHouse site is a nesting area for red-bellied turtles, but that there is little evidence that the species even lives on the site.

Download the results of our Turtle Survey >>

Myth #8: Casinos lead to a dramatic increase in bankruptcy and welfare.

A study by the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center (NORC) found that communities closest to casinos experienced a 12 percent to 17 percent drop in welfare payments, unemployment rates and unemployment insurance after the introduction of casino gaming. And two U.S. Treasury Department economists found that the evidence "does not support the hypothesis that the introduction of gambling has impacted county bankruptcy rates."

Download the Treasury Department's report >>

View the National Gambling Impact Study Commission Final Report >>

Myth #9: Casinos will have a negative impact on existing local businesses.

Penn State economist Adam Rose found little evidence of economic substitution after the introduction of new casinos:

"The preponderance of empirical studies indicate claims of the complete 'cannibalization' of pre-existing local restaurants and entertainment facilities by a mere shift in resident spending is grossly exaggerated."

In fact, Rose concluded that "[A] new casino of even limited attractiveness, placed in a market that is not already saturated, will yield positive economic benefits on net to its host economy." SugarHouse Casino expects as many as 2,000 new retail and hospitality jobs will be created outside the casino and another 2,600 jobs in tangential service industries.

Visit the American Gaming website to download a summary of Adam Rose's findings >>