Key lawmaker suggests legalization of casinos

Friday, May 9, 2003 | 9:59 a.m.

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The speaker of the state House said lawmakers should go beyond a proposal to legalize slot machines at race tracks and consider legalizing entire casinos.

House Speaker John Perzel, R-Philadelphia, said a state plan for slot machines expected to be considered next week by lawmakers does not go far enough.

The real revenue, Perzel said, is in casinos.

"If this is about making money, we ought to just go out and make the money," Perzel told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

A Republican-sponsored study found that Philadelphia could support three casinos.

Perzel said he would like to see one in the downtown area near the convention center. Add some high-end shops, he said, and "you have a reason for people to be in and stay downtown."

Perzel is basing much of his idea on a recent report by Boyd Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas, owner of several casinos nationwide, that shows Philadelphia could support three casinos. The report found Pittsburgh could support two.

If the casinos were combined with slots at the tracks, the state could expect $2 billion in new tax revenue each year, according to the study.

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