The Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia project will be on what is now a blighted, 16.5-acre site that closes the public off from the river's edge. The site is bound by Reed Street, Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Tasker Street and the Delaware River.

This site was selected because it is the strongest site available for this project. The site has been considered a casino location for more than a decade, and is situated in a heavy commercial district that is buffered by I-95 from the nearby residential area. The site also has easy access to and visibility from 1-95 and the New Jersey bridges; it is close to downtown Philadelphia and the Sports Complex, and it also will make a strong anchor to development along the waterfront in support of the city's plan to revitalize this key area.

The first phase of the project is scheduled to open 22 months from the start of construction. It will include 3,000 slot machines, an 1,800-seat showroom, a 4,500-space parking garage, restaurant and lounge venues including food and beverage options, public access to the Delaware riverfront and an entertainment cabaret and lounge. Phase I will cost $670 million, including the license fee and land.

The second phase will create the Riverfront Entertainment District, featuring additional nightlife, casual dining, boutique shopping and a water taxi. It will also include space for 2,000 additional slot machines, additional food and beverage offerings, and provide 1,500 more parking spaces.

The third phase will include a first-class 500-room hotel, 21,000-square-foot full-service spa, meeting and conference room space and potential residential condominium tower.

Traffic issues are a shared concern for the South Philadelphia community and for Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia. Foxwoods will invest more than $7 million to resolve the problems both to be a good neighbor, and to make travel into and out of the casino as stress-free as possible for our customers, as well as for the area neighbors.

While new projects are only required legally to mitigate additional traffic they will add to the traffic infrastructure, Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia is committed to making traffic flow better along South Columbus Boulevard than it does today and will fund the full cost of the traffic mitigation measures for Phase I of the project, as well as its fair share of any traffic improvements for future phases. Foxwoods' Phase I plan to re-engineer South Columbus Boulevard focuses on a 16-intersection area from Walnut Street Plaza to the IKEA Driveway.

Working with the city and the commonwealth, our traffic engineers have developed strong solutions consistent with the standards set forth by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. The project’s traffic engineers identified a plan that addresses existing problems, and mitigates the traffic our project and other planned developments would add to South Columbus Boulevard. The solutions involve, among other ideas, widening streets, double turn lanes, new signals, supporting the construction of new highway access ramps, shuttle services and public transportation.

We have a very compelling reason to make travel to and from the casino flow well: Foxwoods is investing more than $1 billion in this project and our customers will have another casino option only one mile away. We are making this investment because we are confident our traffic solutions will work.

Click here to see Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia traffic mitigation reports

We’re confident the casino will have enough spaces, based on the projected use, to provide parking for our customers so they won’t have to park in the neighborhoods. Phase I includes a parking garage with 4,500 spaces and another 1,500 spaces are slated for Phase II of the project.

The project will require permits for construction; however, the project, as designed, complies with all existing zoning and building regulations applicable to the site. We will comply with the CED legislation as approved by City Council.

Our design does not require the use of riparian rights for any current or future parts of this project.

We chose this area for a reason. We like South Philadelphia, we like who it is, its traditions, and its network of unique neighborhoods. We don’t want that to change. To support that philosophy, we have pledged $1 million annually to support a Special Services District. Foxwoods will also contribute an additional $50,000 to fund organizational and start-up expenses.

The local community will also benefit from the Foxwoods commitment to fill at least 65 percent of approximately 950 permanent jobs created at the casino with residents from the Greater Philadelphia Region. As a neighbor, we want to do our part to contribute to an already strong community.

Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia will contribute $1 million annually to a Special Services District, as well as $50,000 to fund organizational and start-up expenses. While we envision the SSD will fund initiatives such as education, future traffic mitigation efforts, safety and security, senior citizens programs and additional city services, the money will be given to the community to be spent as the residents see fit. It will be funded by Foxwoods, but administered by the community. Foxwoods’ intent is to contribute in a positive way to the community that we are becoming a part of.

The lead local partners in Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia (The Rubin Family Charitable Trust, The Silver Family Charitable Trust and Ed Snider) have irrevocably committed 100 percent of their profits from the casino project (this includes the profits from the casino, hotel, restaurants, retail, etc.) to charitable causes in perpetuity.

This commitment by the lead local partners means that all profits attributed to 42 percent of the casino's present ownership will go to charitable causes. The primary focus of the trusts will be to support underprivileged children in the Philadelphia area and South Jersey.

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation intend to incorporate the casinos into their marketing campaigns, which will help generate substantial visitor spending. The GPTMC has said that casinos will be another amenity that will draw both residents and visitors to Philadelphia.

According to the National Opinion Research Center, communities with casinos had 43 percent higher earnings in their hotel and lodging sectors than those communities at a greater distance from casinos. In addition to staying overnight, casino visitors will dine at restaurants, shop in local stores, use cabs and other services here in Philadelphia rather than other locations like Atlantic City. This will increase the economic activity and enhance employment throughout the region each year.

The city and state will see an increase in the tax revenues collected on hotels, entertainment, restaurants and other things because of the increased economic activity. Increased tax revenues will provide the city and state more resources for local schools, roadway projects, police, fire and other basic services. Prior to the casino opening, the three phases of construction will also create a boost to the region's economic activity and related tax revenues. The casino will create a substantial number of permanent jobs in the region as well. All these benefits are in addition to Foxwoods paying 55 percent of its gross revenues in taxes to the government, which will fund property tax relief and other government operations.

On the local level, Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia is expected to generate $1 billion to $1.2 billion in gaming revenues in the first five years of operation, funding wage tax reductions for all who live and work in the City of Philadelphia. The city will reap $15 million annually in host fees, including $5 million that will directly benefit Philadelphia's public schools. The City's schools will also receive another $5 million in additional revenue through a variety of taxes. The city will also benefit from approximately $4 million annually in additional local taxes.

Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia is expected to generate more than $40 million in tax revenues to the City of Philadelphia and more than $300 million in tax revenues to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania annually, once all three phases of the project are complete. The tax revenues provided to the Commonwealth will be used to reduce the wage tax and fund the Convention Center expansion in Philadelphia, providing additional economic benefit to the region.

The first phase of the project will create an ongoing annual economic impact of $25.3 million in taxes to Philadelphia and $197.2 million in taxes to the state. In addition, Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia will create 2,898 jobs in Philadelphia and 5,457 jobs in Pennsylvania.

Phase II will create an ongoing annual economic impact of $35 million in taxes to Philadelphia and $271.9 million in taxes to the state. In addition, Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia will create 4,388 jobs in Philadelphia and 8,201 jobs in Pennsylvania.

The final phase includes $41.8 million in ongoing annual economic impact taxes to Philadelphia and $307.5 million in taxes to the state. In addition, Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia will create 5,741 jobs in Philadelphia and 10,649 jobs in Pennsylvania.

Through all three phases of the project – including construction, operations and indirect outside spending associated with the casino’s operations – the total amount of economic activity from Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia is estimated to be at $2.35 billion in Philadelphia and $3.44 billion statewide. The entire project, both directly and indirectly, is expected to create more than 15,000 jobs in the city and more than 35,000 jobs statewide, with a boost in employee earnings of $414 million in Philadelphia and $1.05 billion across the state.

Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia has been designed to appeal to a wide variety of audiences, including those who do not play slot machines. When fully complete, the facility will feature a spa, retail shopping, music and other entertainment venues, a hotel, and various dining opportunities along a section of the Delaware River waterfront that previously was inaccessible to the public. The Riverfront Entrainment District will include additional nightlife, expanded dining opportunities, boutique shopping and public space for people to enjoy the water’s edge.

For those interested in just taking in the sights on the Delaware River, Phase I will provide public waterfront access from Columbus Boulevard via a landscaped pathway system within the property boundary along Reed Street, in addition to a waterfront pathway and park environment along the property’s entire waterfront edge. This pathway will feature social gathering spaces and an outdoor promenade. A Riverfront Entertainment District will be build during Phase II of the project, featuring additional nightlife, casual dining, boutique shopping and a water taxi.

Foxwoods will create approximately 950 permanent jobs to operate the casino and intends to fill at least 65 percent of these jobs with citizens from the Greater Philadelphia Region. To accomplish that hiring goal, Foxwoods has already hosted local career fairs and will host additional fairs as the project moves forward.

Our executive staff will be brought on approximately one year before opening. This project will provide a range of career opportunities, including finance, security, marketing, human resources, retail and hospitality. Foxwoods is working with a number of local job training organizations to place local people in careers created by the project.

Click here for more information on careers at Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia and fill out our online Career Interest Form.

The new opportunities created by Foxwoods will offer compensation above the average wages in the hospitality industry and offer a competitive benefits package that includes medical and dental.

At Foxwoods, we are not looking to just fill jobs; we are interested in working with our employees to create career paths and a supportive work environment.

A comprehensive survey of casino employees conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers found of 178,000 employees—more than half of the commercial casino industry work force in the United States—16 percent had used their casino jobs to replace unemployment benefits, 63 percent had improved their access to health care benefits, 43 percent had better access to day care for their children, 65 percent had been able to develop new job skills as a result of their employment and 78 percent indicated that their employer provided them with training to perform their job.

During construction of the project, we plan to use unionized labor. With respect to our operations, the ultimate determination to unionize is an issue of employee free choice and we certainly will abide by the informed decision of our employees should they chose to unionize.

Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia is dedicated to making vendor opportunities accessible to local businesses. Foxwoods strongly encourages small business, as well as minority and female-owned businesses, to pursue opportunities with our facility.

Foxwoods, in conjunction with our construction manager, TN Ward, will work with businesses to help with the Commonwealth's registration and certification process, our internal bidding process and vendor needs. To start the process with us you MUST complete the Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia Vendor Application Form and mail it to us at the address on the form.

Click here for additional information on becoming a construction or facility operations vendor with Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Entertainment and Development Partners, L.P. (PEDP) owns the project and the eventual casino. PEDP is a joint venture between the lead investor, Washington Philadelphia Investors, L.P., which owns a 70 percent share of the venture, and Foxwoods Development Company, L.L.C., which owns a 30 percent share. Washington Philadelphia Investors is a limited partnership between a group of investors, including three philanthropic organizations set up specifically to channel proceeds from the casinos operation to charities, as well as a diverse group of primarily local investors. Foxwoods Development Company is a Delaware limited liability company established by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation to build and manage casinos. Foxwoods is known for its expertise in developing and managing casinos and currently operates the world’s largest casino in Connecticut.

In the January 8, 2006 edition of the Daily News, local real estate professionals stated that the Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia project will help improve property values in the area. The Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia site on South Columbus Boulevard will provide public access to the water, and rejuvenate the entire South Central Delaware River waterfront by stimulating positive growth on an abandoned industrial site, and on underutilized adjacent sites. The casino will bring new dining and entertainment options and provide employment, all of which positively affect property values. Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia is working with its traffic engineers to make the traffic flow even better than it does today and to provide ample on-site parking. All of these factors make it very likely that property values will appreciate in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia intends to work with the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation to help market and promote Foxwoods as another reason for people to visit Philadelphia. These marketing efforts will be beneficial not only to Foxwoods, but to the region – including local businesses in South Philadelphia.

Foxwoods has committed that we will NOT take any property through eminent domain. None of our plans require us to acquire additional property, including potential plans for a ramp off I-95.

A study completed by the Philadelphia Gaming Advisory Task Force concluded that there is no correlation between casinos and an increase in crime rates, including violent and property crime. The Task Force studied the FBI statistics for the crime rates in three other cities that offer casino gambling, Atlanta, New Orleans and Detroit. An analysis of the statistics before the casinos opened and after found no basis to conclude that casino activity causes crime.

Another study conducted by the Public Sector Gaming Study Commission reached similar conclusions, finding “no link between gambling, particularly casino-style gambling, and crime.” In fact, the 2000 report recognized that casinos are more of a crime deterrent than an instigator.

Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia will have more than adequate means to police our own property. We still intend to coordinate closely with the Philadelphia Police Department and other first responders on deployment and any training assistance needs, in addition to our commitment to supporting a Special Services District.

Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia intends to operate on a 24-hour a day basis. Research has shown that 24-hour operations alleviate many of the public nuisance issues such as loitering and noise pollution associated with casinos that have set closing times. Atlantic City officials cited decreases in public safety issues when casinos became 24-hour operations. Set closing times contribute to traffic jams and vehicular accidents as casino workers and patrons all converged on roads and exits at the same time.

Foxwoods will abide by and adhere to Pennsylvania law on this issue.

Foxwoods has put together a comprehensive Responsible Gaming Policy which has been submitted to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Our stated purpose is to provide people with entertainment; Foxwoods is concerned about any customer’s involvement in gaming to the point that it is becoming a problem for that customer.

You may contact Foxwoods by calling 215-854-6359, or sending questions or comments via e-mail to FoxwoodsPA@mptn.org. If you’d like to receive e-mail updates on the Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia project, vendor opportunities or career information, please click here to fill out our online form.