Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Foxwoods Investor Caught in Hen House

Philadelphia's casinos haven't even opened yet and already one of the investors has been caught straying into pay-to-play territory. As the Inquirer's Jeff Shields reports today, Peter de Paul - developer of the Dockside apartment building - violated state law when he handed out some $31, 750 to various political candidates, no doubt because he really believes in their policy agendas. Now De Paul and his fellow Foxwoods investors are going to have to pay $200,000 in fines to the state.

If you recall, De Paul was the guy who tried to weasle out of his $500,000 public art obligation for Dockside, which was built on a publically-owned pier. He complained that he'd lose his shirt if he had to shell out all that money for improving the public area of the building. Ultimately, he worked a deal with the city to built a cheaper version of sculptor Magdalena Abakonowicz's school of flying fish. The price tag ended up being a little over $200,000 - about the same price as breaking the state gaming law.

DePaul isn't the only investor to overlook the state law forbidding gambling investors to make political contributions. Dan Keating, of Sugarhouse, and Herman Wooden, of Riverwalk, also got fined for too much generosity.

There's also been a lot of fuss about a new law signed by Gov. Rendell allowing the casinos to serve free drinks to high rollers. But let's keep things in perspective: In Pennsylvania, it's often easier to give drinks away for free than obtain a liquor license from the Liquor Control Board. Take Rendell's own summer hideaway, the Lombard Swim Club. Unable (or perhaps unwilling) to go through the hoops necessary to get a liquor license, the club has happily poured free drinks for years. For some members, there's no better reason to join.

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

making donations in his own name?

c'mon guy, get your relatives to donate. throw a party and bundle together other people's donations. how you gonna run a casino if you can't even learn the basics?

2:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What else would we expect from this town? The whole casino thing is already haunting the city.

De Paul indeed ordered the cheaper version of the flying fish and it really looks it.

3:45 PM  
Blogger ACM said...

It should be pointed out that he blew the whistle on himself . . . (see more here.)

4:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, you must be referring to all those paragraphs that end with the phrase ",Rosen said."

5:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What talented philly firm did this POS ? BLT?

10:03 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We should be more concerned about the City accepting $50,000 from Riverwalk for New Years Fireworks! This is definitely a conflict of interest due to the fact that Street will be giving his slot license recommendations to the Gaming Board and the Governor in the next week or so. Street just does not get it. I don't understand why there is not a bigger outrage in the media today.

1:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I doubt the Mayor had anything to do with the charitible gesture on the part of Riverwalk. I doubt he spends his time fundraising for fireworks, nor would such a contribution affect his view of the five applicants.

The DePaul contributions, on the other hand, were quite intentional. Why not comment on the issue raised?

8:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now it sets the table for more bad feelings. If they win it, it'll be because of the fireworks even if it ain't.

5:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

why is it that Foxwood's always gets singled out? Both Riverwalk and Sugarhouse had investor partners fined as well.

10:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Because Foxwood's is the absolute worst possible site for a casino, that's why. Moreover, because it so bad (by all objective standards), this is the acid test by which the Gaming Control Board will be judged: if Foxwood's get a license, then it will be plain to everyone that the this was a rigged process, based purely on politics. Foxwood's is sponsored by the Guv's friends!! Ronnie Rubin? Ed Snider?? These are the Gov's longtime buddies!!!!!

11:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Pennsy politics.

They are up thier old tricks again.

Think I'll move out ahere if things don't change. What am I doing here anyway!!!!

9:54 AM  

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