Friday, May 11, 2007

Steelers President Demands Casino Traffic Study, Threatens To Sue - Sports News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Steelers President Demands Casino Traffic Study, Threatens To Sue - Sports News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh Sue-i!



Art Rooney II -- you are a renter. You don't own Heinz Field. You don't have standing.

At least the owners of Majestic Star Casino are going to buy the land and build the casino with their own money.

If Art Rooney is worried about the land around the stadium -- he should start by buying the stadium. Take it off of the backs of the taxpayers. Make it his own.

Then, let's talk.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers will take legal action if city officials do not conduct a thorough study on how a planned casino will impact game-day traffic, team President Art Rooney II said.

The Steelers have long demanded a traffic study, but Rooney is becoming increasingly edgy about the issue as city planners move to give the casino's master plan final approval without studying the impact the new facility will have on game days.

Majestic Star Casino, to be built and run by PITG Gaming, is to be Pittsburgh's first slot-machine facility.

City planners, who were supposed to consider the master plan at a meeting on Tuesday, delayed the vote for a second time. Waiting for the results of an expanded traffic study, the commission members plan to discuss the casino at their meeting on May 29.

City transportation planner Sidney Kaikai said there is not enough time to conduct a comprehensive study of game-day traffic if the casino is to open as scheduled in the summer of 2008.

The city is planning to separate casino and football traffic on game days and better accommodate pedestrians. Along the way, it will be possible to make more changes and improvements to the plans, Kaikai said.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has yet to formally issue the casino license, because two losing bidders have appealed the board's decision in December to award it to PITG Gaming. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on those appeals May 15.