Ferlo, Orie ask for new Pittsburgh casino bids
Monday, July 14, 2008
By Tom Barnes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
HARRISBURG -- Two state senators from the Pittsburgh area want the state Gaming Control Board to revoke the license issued to Don Barden and reopen the Pittsburgh casino license "to a competitive process that will include new applicants."
Sens. Jane Orie, R-McCandless, and Jim Ferlo, D-Highland Park, sent a letter today to board Chairwoman Mary D. Colins urging the board not to hastily approve a refinancing plan being sought by casino license holder Don Barden, who is ceding control of his Majestic Star casino project to an investors' group from Chicago.
Ms. Orie and Mr. Ferlo called the potential transfer of the slots license to the new group a "last-minute bait and switch," and "unacceptable."
They called the Barden refinancing request "a blatant attempt to force this board into hastily approving a financial bailout without any public scrutiny or input."
They maintained that the Barden casino license, due to his ongoing financing problems, "is no longer financially viable. The proper response of this board is to revoke the license issued to (Mr. Barden)" and then "re-open the license to a competitive process that will include new applicants."
Mr. Barden defeated two other applicants, Isle of Capri and Forest City, when he won the slots license in December 2006.
Board spokesman Doug Harbach said the board "has the power to revoke, suspend or add further conditions to" a license, but said the Barden situation is still under study and he couldn't comment further.
Barden still is trying to finalize a deal with a group headed by Chicago billionaire Neil Bluhm and could ask the gaming board for approval of the license transfer later this week.
More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
First published on July 14, 2008 at 2:35 pm
News 
Market Data 
Discover 
