🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <9301061587@drktowr.chi.il.us> magus@drktowr.chi.il.us (Louis Giliberto) writes:
>Sean M. Foley (sfoley@uumeme.chi.il.us) wrote:
>Hmm.  Depends on your perspective.  You are seeing the casino as attracting
>tourists.  I see it as an added bonus if you have a convention here.

If?

>After all, what type of tourism is there in Chicago?  Not much.  You don't
>have a resort atmosphere with the weather and all.  However, Chicago is
>great for conventions.  It's centrally located with 2 major airports and
>a private plane airport (Miggs), Rail and bus have central locations here,
>good public transportation, museums, etc.

I daresay the majority of the aircraft based at and/or using Meigs field
are commercial, not private.  Unfortunately, its location and layout
make it a relatively unreliable field due to prevailing winds.

I'd much rather see the big investment made into high speed rail links
between Chicago and other midwestern cities, which would make the
area doubly attractive by providing both long range air and medium range
rail transport.  Upgrading the rail system would provide jobs, would
avoid the need for the fiasco of siting a third major airport in the area,
and would benefit the long-term stability of the region.

>1 Casino will *not* attract tourists, but it may help boost the number
>of conventions.

In the past year we've seen conventions moved from other cities because
of a dispute over recognizing Martin Luther King's birthday and because
of the anti-gay legislation passed in Colorado.  How many of them
moved to Las Vegas or Atlantic City?

According to the statistics I've seen (which were, to be honest,
presented by an anti-gambling group) the introduction of casinos into
Atlantic City cost 2 jobs for every 1 job created.

Why does Chicago need explosive growth anyhow?  Wouldn't long-term stability
be far more beneficial?  Gradually creating new jobs over a long time
would seem to be better for current residents - creating a lot of new jobs
in a short time would draw a lot of new residents into the area, increasing
the demand for public services, and when the casinos drive out existing jobs,
increasing the demand for public assistance.
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