2nd casino bidder pledges arena, Hill District funds

On one hand we have Franco, another Mario and now The Bus. Plus, we've got #88 in a run for PA Governor.

2nd casino bidder pledges arena, Hill District funds

2nd casino bidder pledges arena, Hill District funds
Taps Bettis to head consortium of business, civic leaders

Monday, April 17, 2006
By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A Detroit businessman competing for the Pittsburgh slot machine license is expected to unveil plans for a $350 million redevelopment of the Hill District as part of his bid at a press conference this afternoon.

Don Barden, who heads up PITG Gaming LLC, also is expected to pledge $7.5 million a year toward a new arena. The amount is what Gov. Ed Rendell had requested of slots applicants in his Plan B funding package for an arena.

He has picked another person who hails from Detroit, Steelers star Jerome Bettis, to lead a consortium of business and civic leaders that would oversee the Hill development.