A bitter debate over plans to build a casino within a mile of Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, US, could come to a head today at a meeting with the state's gaming control board.
Developer David LeVan has applied for a resort licence that would allow him to operate a casino with 600 slots and 50 table games, having failed in a previous attempt to win a licence for a larger property several years ago.
The Mason-Dixon Resort, as it has been tentatively named, has drawn criticism for its proposed location near the national park.
Opponents argue that Gettysburg - the site of the American Civil War’s bloodiest battle during which there were 51,000 casualties in 1863 - is sacred ground and such a development would cheapen its reputation.
Opinion is divided, however, with county authorities supporting the plan, which brings with it a $1m contribution to its treasury each year.
Perhaps the most surprising supporter of the casino development is the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association, which said the project would provide a welcome boost to the local economy.
"We find, after very thorough review, that the proposed Mason-Dixon Resort project does not represent a preservation issue," said Brendan Synnamon, president of the GBPA.
"The board is aware that the economy of the Gettysburg area and Adams County is hurting. We need jobs. We need more private investment. We could use additional visitation. The Mason-Dixon Resort offers all these things and would do so without one square inch of battlefield or nearby undeveloped open space being developed.
"A stronger local economy is helpful to the cause of preservation. Preservation does not exist in a vacuum. Our local preservation work cannot thrive without a local economy that helps induce and support it."
A record number of people are expected to testify at the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s hearing being held at a local hotel, with the board set to decide on the last of the state’s two resort licences.
