Two Philadelphia mayors made opposite decisions causing the construction of the city’s SugarHouse casino to be halted.

On the last day of his term, Mayor John Street issued a permit that would have allowed casino officials to use heavy equipment to level the site. One day later, new mayor, Michael Nutter, revoked that permit, saying the it was “issued in error.”Nutter say’s the Street decision failed to consider whether the casino was an appropriate use of the land and the riparian rights that were granted. He also complained that the proposal submitted to the city and the state were not identical. Officials with SugarHouse were incensed because the state Supreme Court has already ordered the city to issue the appropriate licenses to allow casino construction to begin. Opponents had filed several suits to prevent it from happening.

“We fully expect the city, regardless of a change in its administration, to honor all of its contractual obligations,” said CEO Greg Carlin of HSP Gaming LC, the parent company of SugarHouse. “We have been advised by our legal team that the city’s action to rescind our submerged lands license is contrary to law given the pending litigation surrounding that license.”

Another HP spokeswoman rejected claims that Street’s decision was hasty.

“The suggestion that somehow it was last-minute or rigged is just not accurate,” said Leigh Whitaker. Despite the mayor’s decision, the project faces other hurdles, as well. Some have suggested it will disturb the nesting area of an endangered turtle, while another cites archeological evidence of a former British fort dating back to the 18th century.

By Casino Connection Staff

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