Gaming Control Board ‘Working Hard’ on Casino Bid, Says Gaming Control Board

It's been months since public comment on the bidding for Philadelphia's second casino license closed. There's still no decision.

It’s been months since records on the bidding process for Philadelphia’s second casino were closed on February 26th. And, still, no progress! It’s been so long that Penn National dropped out of the process, following Steve Wynn’s pullout earlier.

There are now just four companies vying for Philly’s second casino license: Bart Blatstein’s Provenance at the old Inquirer Building, the downtown Philly Market 8 casino group, the proposed casino at the current site of a Holiday Inn near Citizens Bank Park, and Casino Revolution at Front and Packer. And how’s that second license approval — or, perhaps, a rejection of all four bids — coming along?

Well, the board’s last private session on the bids was a month ago. But, per Gaming Control Board chairman William Ryan, the group is “working hard.”

“I think I’d rather just stay with that response if it’s okay with you,” Ryan told KYW 1060. “I understand a lot of people are perplexed, a lot of people feel frustrated. But that’s the process, and we’re all doing the best we can.”

Ryan didn’t make any other comment, but did acknowledge people were “frustrated” with the long delay.

[KYW 1060]