Report Finds There's Room For Another Philadelphia Casino
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- As the Gaming Control Board continues to mull which applicant will get Philadelphia's second casino license, a consultant hired by the state legislature to study the future of gaming in Pennsylvania says another gambling hall will not overload the local market.
Stephen Mullin, president of Econsult Solutions, presented his report last week on the future of gaming in Pennsylvania to the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.
"We do believe that we're not near the saturation point," Mullin says. "We do believe that the Philadelphia metropolitan area market is very, very large and it can have more supply without having anywhere near a net cannibalization."
Mullin says while the addition of another casino will almost certainly impact the existing ones in the region, he still sees a "sizeable" net increase in revenues for the state.
He also says he does not foresee southeastern Pennsylvania becoming a gaming destination for tourists, but he does believe casinos are an additional attraction to draw visitors.