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Preservation Group Offers Proposal to Ailing Foxwoods Casino

Posted on November 23rd, 2010

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The Foxwoods Casino project in Philadelphia has been in trouble for most of its existence—ever since the license was awarded to them in 2006. With the continued apprehension on whether the plans will be shelved or not, several sectors have come up with several ideas to save it. For example, a preservation group in charge of a historic ghost ship, the SS United States, is presenting an alternative to Foxwoods. Their proposal is to move the ship from its current location in South Philadelphia to a place a mile north, into a garage with 10 stories and allocate two floors to gaming facilities. The group is also proposing to put a dock into the site and renovate and refit the ship, which is already 58 years old. The renovation may cost up to $200 million but should be able to house a museum, an events venue, restaurants, a possible botiqu hotel and of course, gaming floors.

Ken Smukler, an adviser to the SS United States Conservancy, said, “We can place the SS United States into the Foxwoods property in a way that showcases a national treasure and makes it a tourist draw.” The pitch of the group based in Washington may already be a little too late, as Harrah’s Entertainment, the largest casino operator in the world, is already gearing up to seal a deal to take over the casino project which has encountered too many delays, before the new deadline of Dec. 10, which was set by the state.

Smuckler said that his group has already brought up the proposal to both Harrah’s and the local Foxwoods investors. Making the ship the casino plan’s centerpiece may not be a priority to the groups, because as of Friday, the 19th, neither Harrah’s nor the local investor group, Philadelphia Entertainment and Development Partners (PEDP) – had given any response. The press has also tried contacting Stephen A. Cozen, a lawyer for the Foxwoods partners. An e-mail was written by the lawyer, stating that the company does not have any comment.

However, the city’s Mayor, Michael Nutter, who was informed of the ship casino proposal in the past weeks, was quoted as saying that the proposal is “certainly one of the most unique, dynamic, and exciting plans for a casino anywhere in the United States of America.” He also acknowledged the fact that the plan would mean “having a casino in one of the largest ocean liners ever built.” These statements are coming from a mayor who has long been distinguished as an opponent of using land in the city’s waterfront for casinos. The SS United States, aside from being prestigious, is also fast. It was retired in 1969 and has been registered on the National Register of Historic Places. It has set the record for a westward crossing of the Atlantic, which was made on its maiden voyage in 1952. The record remains unchallenged.
Smukler claimed that the conservancy has already completed a study on the feasibility of including the ship into the Foxwoods casino. They have concluded that a two-part, $450 million plan should be in tow for the development of gaming on land and inside the vessel.

Under the terms of the gaming license the state gaming board awarded to Foxwoods, the casino should be already operational by the end of the year 2012. The first phase outlined in the study conducted by the conservancy study included the building of the 10-story garage, with permanent gaming space on the garage’s first two floors. Smukler said the cost to complete this first phase would be close to $250 million, which is already close to what Harrah’s estimates to spend on a completed casino at its proposed site. Neil H.G. Garrioch, studio director of Stephen Varenhorst Architects, a group that worked on the design study, said, “In our proposal we have reconnected the city of Philadelphia to the Delaware River waterfront. It would liberate much of the tract for open space and other uses, and leave approximately one-third of the site land area still open from Columbus Avenue to the river.”

Smukler said the conservancy has already piqued the interest of local investors and national casino operators. He also mentioned that sectors know the uncertainty with the casino license of Philadelphia.