CASINOS BATTLE CRY: 10 AND 12 OR NO DICE

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Three of Pennsylvania's top labor leaders joined 5 of Pennsylvania's largest casinos in calling for the state legislature to hold the line on table games to a $10 million license fee and 12% tax rate. Their call comes in the wake of the casinos warning that any move higher on table game fees would threaten their decision to apply for table games licenses.

Pat Gillespie, Business Manager of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades, said,

"Table games mean 10,000 more good-paying jobs in Pennsylvania at a time when Pennsylvania is losing thousands of jobs each month. We cannot afford to miss this enormous opportunity simply because some state legislators want to balance their books on the backs of casino operators."

Bill George, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, said, "Our members need the jobs that table games provide, and the state needs the revenue. The lower license fees and tax rates are a win-win for Pennsylvania's working families."

Pat Eiding, President of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO said, "The Philadelphia region stands to gain nearly 4600 jobs from the introduction of table games. The annual projected statewide economic impact of table games is over $900 million. Our state representatives must recognize that, in a time of deep economic recession, we are in no position to force casinos to opt-out of table games."

The call for 10 and 12 by organized labor comes in the wake of the casinos' decision to seriously consider forgoing table games if the legislature sets the table game license fee higher than $10 million or the table game tax rate higher than 12%.

This decision by five of the Commonwealth's largest casinos -- The Rivers, SugarHouse, The Mount Airy Casino Resort, The Meadows, and Presque Isle -- came yesterday afternoon on a conference call initiated by the Pennsylvania Casino Association.

Labor's action also comes in the wake of a Gaming Industry Daily Report yesterday critical of the state legislature's approach to table games:

"We have to agree with [the Pennsylvania Casino Association] this time as House lawmakers are basically showing they are trying to suck the life out of the casino industry by taxing it to death and adding competition at the time when they need relief. Perhaps the House Democrats should take a trip to Atlantic City and see some examples of what happens when lawmakers get out of touch with reality."

SOURCE Pennsylvania Casino Association