April 25, 2007, could be the toughest block that the Pittsburgh Steelers will have to face in 2007. The developer for the Majestic Star Casino, Mr. Don Barden, is planning to build a casino facility near Heinz Field.
Art Rooney, a representative of the Pittsburgh Steelers, said that the casino facility could have a grave effect on North Shore. He also said that Pittsburgh Steelers fans will be the first ones to suffer if the plans of the Majestic Star Casino push through.
Rooney added that it will be a difficult endeavor to get 65,000 fans out to North Shore because of the added traffic that the casino could cause.
The Pittsburgh Steelers want the Pittsburgh Planning Commission to reconsider the approval of new gambling casinos in their area and commission a study first in order to evaluate the effect of another casino in the area.
Adding a new space to the West End Bridge, enlarging the roads, putting up new signs and assigning additional traffic officers are possible solutions to the problem, but the Steelers said that they will not pay for them.
Rooney said that it was not the Pittsburgh Steelers idea to build a casino so people should not expect them to pay for it. Rooney said that the one solution that he believes to be reasonable is closing down the casino facility during the Pittsburgh Steelers home games.
Rooney said that is what the Science Center does when there is a game in the center. At the Pittsburgh Planning Commission’s last discussion, the chairwoman commented that both sides must resolve the issue between them in a rational manner.
13 May, 2007
