Gettysburg Casino Gambling Plan Has Backing Of Preservation Group

Casino gambling can be a tough issue on itself, but when coupled with the idea of the casino being placed in a famed Civil War battle ground city, the battle becomes even more contentious. Unless that battleground city is Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The Mason Dixon Resort & Casino plan received a big boost on Monday when the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association decided the casino would not take away from Gettysburg Battlefield. The news came as a surprise to some, but the group explained their decision to support the casino.

"We would not support a commercial project that would use or infringe upon the battlefield," wrote GBPA President Brendan Synnamon, in a statement. "the existing (Eisenhower Inn) has never interfered with nor detracted from the Gettysburg Battlefield, and its reuse as the Mason Dixon Resort likewise will not interfere nor detract from the Gettysburg Battlefield."

Investor Joseph Lashinger and Gettysburg's own David LeVan proposed changing the existing hotel into a casino. The $75 million investment would come complete with fifty table games and 600 slot machines.

Although the Gettysburg Battlefield is being protected by the preservation group, it did not play an important part on the Battle of Gettysburg. Still, it has been protected for decades, and the group believes it would still be protected even if the Eisenhower becomes a casino.

Pennsylvania has become the new gaming capital of the East Coast over the past year. Their slot revenue was already on the rise when earlier this year, lawmakers legalized table games. Now, the state's casinos have all the weapons necessary to topple the Atlantic City gaming industry.

There is no guarantee that Lashinger and LeVan will even be awarded a state gaming license. Three other proposals are also being considered for the gaming license.

August 17, 2010
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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