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Opposition growing to Gettysburg casino
The fight for the future of Gettysburg National Military Park is heating up once again. Four years ago, the local community and thousands of history buffs stopped plans to construct a casino on the outskirts of town, and now a new attempt to build a casino is starting the battle once again.David LeVan, who is behind the casino project, says it will bring much-needed jobs to the area, which despite getting more than a million visitors a year has a spiraling unemployment rate. Opponents say it's disrespectful to the sanctity of the historic site and that casinos are "predatory" businesses that rarely deliver the economic boom they promise. The anti-casino group has set up a website and an online petition.
The Evening Sun, a regional paper, conducted a poll and found the majority of residents approve of the casino, but the poll was widely criticized by casino opponents as biased, prompting an angry editorial defending the poll.
It's difficult to see who will win, but in the meantime you might want to check out some of these lesser known battlefields, none of which have casinos. Yet.
Filed under: Activism, History, North America, United States
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jamey Apr 6th 2010 5:36AM
Put it to a vote and if the majority votes for it then so be it. Why doesn't democracy work the way it is supposed to? Majority wins no matter what is the way it should be.
Mairzie Apr 5th 2010 8:41PM
NO CASINO NEAR THE BATTLEFIELD! or in the area. There is no end of locations available to put a casino, but only one Gettysburg Battlefield. Do not marginalize the dead with such a sacriledge. That area is indeed "hallowed ground." The battle fought there shaped the course of American History, and as such is no place for a casino any more than it would be for a merry-go-round or a ferris wheel. Where is our sense of history and decency if we do not spare a little corner of Pennsylvania expressly to honor our heroic dead?
LIONEL Apr 5th 2010 9:41PM
I WONDER WHICH GOVERNMENTAL MAFIA OF CROOKS THOUGHT UP THIS TO MAKE A THE QUICK BUCK ?
Dusty Apr 5th 2010 9:23PM
I had 3 great grandfathers and 2 great great grandfathers and some of them had brothers who fought at Gettysburg and other battlefields. Two were severly woundes and another brother died there. (PVI Various divisions). Their blood was not shed there in order to have some irreverent scumbag trash conduct a gambling business which has caused the breakup of thousands of families and even suicides. These people are not there to make you happy they are there to take your money and break your spirit. They are criminals and liars with no morals; they hate you and they hate our Country and they are not happy to hear anything of integrity, truth. honesty, and loyalty.
Please be strong think about the consequences of gambling. Consider the wives, mothers, children, and fathers who are the real victims of gambling.
mark Apr 5th 2010 8:55PM
There is always somebody trying to slither there way where they don't belong. Nothing is sacred anymore. There are plenty of places for a Casino, why does it have to be there. This really galls me, slither your arrogant asses somewhere else.
sean Apr 5th 2010 8:59PM
i live about 20 minutes from gettysburg and all this hallowed ground stuff is a bunch of rubbish. now allow me to clarify my statement. i do believe that it is hallowed ground and commercialization should be minimalized. i have studided the war between the states for most of my life. but anyone who has ever been to gettysburg knows that there are MANY little kitsch shops that sit on ground that was part of the confederate left flank and union right flank. gettysburg college eats up historical homes and ground and doesn't think twice about destroying historical property. there are fast food restaurants that sit on ground that was the battlefield. downtown is a tourist trap. there are more ghost tours than there are ghosts. so to say that a casino built a few miles away from the battlfield is an insult to the integrity of the battlefield and disrespectful to the men who fought there is a loaded statement. the gettysburg elite who own all the shops and sell the "made in china" american flags and kitsch are opposed to the casino. most of the other people in this area think that the jobs are a good idea and see a casino no more corruptive than a harley-davidson dealership, a kentucky fried chicken, a friendly's, and numerous little shops that sell cheaply made souveneirs and memories of a trip to the most famous battlefield in the world.
glenn Apr 5th 2010 8:59PM
My answer is a BIG NO TELL THOSE creedy and money hungrey builders and casino people go elsewhere NOT THIS private bural place for those soliders that fought this war CIVIL WAR please let the dead lay dead , its a bural ground for our country and a major war
tell those asss hole go elsewhere , its so wrong and those creedy bastards take your casinos elsewhere ,,
magus47 Apr 5th 2010 9:01PM
OK FOR THOSE OF YOU OF RATHER LOW INTELLIGENCE especialy in the Gettysburg area). THE DAMN CASINO WILL BE MILES FROM THE BATTLEFEILD. BUT I KNOW IT WILL ATRACT THE WRONG KINDS OF PEOPLE I.E. LITTLE OLD LADIES WITH BUCKETS OF QUARTERS AND WILD MEN WEARING WW2 VET BALL CAPS AND EVERY BODY KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT ELEMENT HITS TOWN. PARTY TILL IT'S 10 OR EVEN 10:30. THESE DAMN DUMB DOGOODERS HAVE THEIR HEADS UP THEIR BUTTS SO FAR AS TO SEE DAYLIGHT! YA KNOW WHAT GRANDPA AND GRANDPA ARE GOING TO DO WHEN THEY AINT FIGHTING THE ONE ARMED BANDIT? THEY WILL BE TOURING THE BATTLEFEILD OR SHOPPING IN DOWNTOWN GETTYSBURG.
ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST THIS ARE BIBLE POUNDING IDIOTS WHO ARE SO STUPID THEY DON'T KNOW WHATS GOOD FOR THEM AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
MORONS
GM Apr 5th 2010 9:58PM
Your economic argument might hold a little more water if you didn't insult people. I happen to agree with you economically, but I find myself disagreeing with you because of the way you say it.
Sherrie Apr 5th 2010 10:08PM
Not MILES - a half-mile from the battlefield. One-half mile. Walking distance. Too close.
John Apr 5th 2010 9:11PM
wow! What a way to honor our brave soldiers. No way should a Casino ever be around or on that sacred area.
Helen Apr 8th 2010 2:01PM
I agree with your comments and very nicely stated. People that come to Gettysburg, can have a nice bus rip to Hollywood Casino off Interstate 81 below
Hershey, Pa. I won't come to Gettysburg to gamble, as my husband's great
grandfather fought in the Battle there. He was always very proud of it.
wyldfyrnomad Apr 5th 2010 9:05PM
WHAT...no plans for a casino at Arlington National Cemetary ???
Or, how about a floating casino moored next to the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii? Is there ANYPLACE these
scumbag casino developers won't consider next????
thomasshunter Apr 5th 2010 9:13PM
I never saw any protest when WALMART wanted to build a monstrosity near Gettysburg. I never saw any protest when McDonalds built countless fast food factories near the batlefield. I never say any protest when several car dealerships popped up along the main highway through Gettysburg. Theonly people against the casinos are the Bible thumpers and the close-minded idiots who do not realize that modern casinos are really nothing but shoping malls now, with restraurants, movie theatres, and games of chance, plus poker. If you do not like the casinos, stay away. No one is forcing you to go there.
cronkbrast Apr 5th 2010 9:22PM
Tommie I can agree with your commentary all the way up to your "Bible Thumper" comment then I draw the line. There is no reason to insult God.
And the same to anyone else who chooses the same commentary path.
epaj Apr 6th 2010 6:29AM
Actually, there was a protest against Walmart. Here's an article from early on - before Walmart admitted it was even building:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=20071121&id=GoYlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pPQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4048,2255106
thomasshunter Apr 5th 2010 9:17PM
Why is a casino any different than a WAL MART or a MCDONALDS or a HOLIDAY INN? Let me guess. You have no problem with all of those corporate interests DETROYING small town businesses, but since you probably oppose gambling, you want to impose your narrow minded Neanderthal views on the rest of society. Does that just about sum it up?
BubbaGump Apr 5th 2010 9:48PM
Kind of funny, there is a big hotel right next to the Jenny Wade house and a dump of a convienient store across the street. Where were the protesters then!
butbyskylight Apr 5th 2010 11:06PM
In case you've forgotten, Gettysburg isn't just a historical site. It is an ACTUAL TOWN. People - like me - live there all year round. We need thing like Wal-Mart, which is on the opposite end of town from the battlefield, mind you. As for other establishments, they had to be built somewhere.
The casino on the other hand, will bring not only money, but crime as they always do, even in an area like this.
I'm quite surprised by David LeVan. Then again, he already owns half the town.
alschrod Apr 6th 2010 1:08AM
Why do you continue to insult people trying to make a valid comment? Even if your position is good, how do you expect anyone to agree after reading the childish and uncalled-for digs?