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Authorizing City Council to retain outside counsel to commence legal proceedings on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to challenge the decision of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to issue gaming licenses to HSP Gaming LP - Sugarhouse Casino and Philadelphia Development and Entertainment Partners LP – Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, Pursuant to Act 71 of 2004, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is authorized to issue gaming licenses to any entity found suitable consistent with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and qualified under the terms of the statute; and
WHEREAS, On December 20, 2006, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced its intention to issue two gaming licenses to HSP Gaming LP - Sugarhouse Casino and Philadelphia Development and Entertainment Partners LP – Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia without providing any statement of reasons justifying its decision and without disclosing what conditions, if any, attach to their construction and operations; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania law provides that aggrieved persons have standing to appeal from a decision of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to issue a gaming license; and
WHEREAS, This Council believes that the decision of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to issue gaming licenses to HSP Gaming LP - Sugarhouse Casino and Philadelphia Development and Entertainment Partners LP – Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia, if left intact, will have a disastrous impact on the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Philadelphia and will threaten to undermine the City’s plans for sustainable development along the Delaware River, thereby rendering the City of Philadelphia and all of its citizens as persons aggrieved by the actions of the Gaming Control Board; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, City Council is authorized to retain outside counsel to commence legal proceedings on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to challenge the decision of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to issue gaming licenses to HSP Gaming LP - Sugarhouse Casino and Philadelphia Development and Entertainment Partners LP – Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia. The Chair of the Committee on Streets and Services is authorized to act for Council in connection with all actions Council must take to select such consultant in compliance with the provisions of Chapter 17-1400 of The Philadelphia Code (“Non-Competitively Bid Contracts”), except that Council’s contract with the consultant shall be executed by and at the discretion of the Council President.
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