A local coalition of progressive groups fought the opening of two casinos in Philadelphia tooth and nail for the past several years, opposed by residents, politicians and union members who wanted jobs. They stopped one, and they got this one reduced to a day-tripper casino instead of a complex with a hotel and shops. Well, it opened a few weeks ago and this report echoes what I already hear from people in the neighborhood:
The place is absolutely horrifying. Every type of drifter within a 50-mile radius of Philly was there — dudes with sleazy neck tattoos to the members of the local chapter of The Outlaws openly wearing colors.
I talked to one of the workers about what he’s seen there so far. His answer: “Everything.” I asked if he could get a little more specific. He said there hasn’t been a murder yet but there’s been everything else, which includes TWO separate incidents of people ODing in the bathroom after injecting themselves with heroin in the bathroom. So this casino is now a shelter of sorts for the local junkie community.
The carpet is nasty. Blankets in dog crates at the PAWS animal shelter are cleaner.
Policy is that you can’t order a shot and a beer at the same time for “safety” reasons. Also, they have employees who walk up to you at 2 am and force you to either pound or leave your drink. My wife couldn’t finish her drink so she just poured it on the floor. I swear to you, we are not some trailer trash clan who throw garbage on the floors in public places … But this place is so vile you can literally do that and not one person will bat an eye.
There is not one story that will emerge from this place that will shock me. Shootings? Stabbings? Intentional parking lot hit-and-runs? Random people throwing acid in the face of strangers? Everything is on the table at this hellhole.
