Philadelphia is My Home

19
Jul

Looks Like They’re Moving In

Author: Momish, Category: Current Events, Local News

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I am heading down to Atlantic City this weekend on vacation. My mother and most of her side of our family live in AC and the surrounding areas. I was born in AC as a matter of fact. Aside from visiting family and chilling on the beach, one of the things I love to do while I am there is go to the casino, mostly in the hopes of making my daughter an heiress.

I like to gamble. I think it is fun and as long as the money I spend doesn’t dip into our financial responsibilities or lower our quality of life, I don’t mind losing it for a night of entertainment. My husband enjoys his time at the poker tables as well. It is something we do on every trip we make to AC.

That being said, I don’t want Foxwoods Casino in my back yard. I don’t want the traffic, the crime and the seediness that comes with a casino, not to mention the temptation. I know it sounds completely hypocritical of me, considering I take advantage of the casinos in AC. I am sure the residents living within a mile radius resent their presence for the benefit of people like me. People who get to come and go as they please.

Believe me, I know. I watched as nice family neighborhoods deteriorated over the past decades as more and more pawn shops, topless bars and other unappealing elements moved in. It took roughly 15 years before my grandparents had no choice but to move from their Texas Avenue house, losing money on the property they lived in since before I was born.

I don’t want to move. I don’t want to sell my house 15 years from now, yet alone at a loss. I don’t want my child growing up in a neighborhood where pawn shops and check cashing stores stand where there were once friendly mom and pop shops. I don’t want South Philly to become a gambling cesspool. But it seems, after reading the latest article in the Inquirer, that this is going to happen. It is unstoppable.

At this point, all we can do is hope for the best. Hope that Foxwoods really does have the betterment of the city and our neighborhood in mind. Hope that Foxwoods really does have a plan on how to handle the influx of traffic. Hope that Foxwoods will create a casino with an element of class, one that will provide residents with high end shops, restaurants and bars such that they will counteract the other elements which gambling inevitably brings.

While I may be overlooking some of the positive aspects, like more jobs and city revenue, I can’t help it. And trust me when I say that in the end, I hope all my fears and dread are proven wrong. But, seeing as Foxwoods is already acting like a bully, suing the City of Philadelphia (already racking up legal bills at the expense of us taxpayers), something tells me no matter how nicely they decorate their front door and windows, they are not the kind of neighbors you want living on your block.