Casino news source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - http://www.pittsburghlive.com/
Casino traffic worries Steelers, Pirates owners
By Ron DaParma
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Owners of the Steelers and Pirates said Friday they're worried about how a North Shore casino will impact traffic congestion -- but said they want to work with the operator to avoid problems.
Majestic Star Casino, which won the slots license for Pittsburgh, plans to open in March 2008 on land west of Heinz Field. State gambling regulators have not yet issued a formal document explaining their decision.
Steelers President Art Rooney II said the casino plan "does present some parking issues that we will have to work through, and on event days, I think there will be some challenges, and we're going to figure out how all that works."
Pirates CEO Kevin McClatchy said the sports teams want to work with Don Barden, the casino's owner, to help make sure his venture succeeds.
"The critical issues are parking and traffic," McClatchy said. "You have to make sure you can get cars the night you have 35,000 at a Pirates game, and you've got folks going into the casino and people coming to the restaurants. ... You have to make sure that people have places to park, and that the traffic patterns work."
Rooney and McClatchy spoke at an event yesterday announcing a new Jerome Bettis Grille 36 restaurant at the Del Monte Foods Co. building on the North Shore.
Congestion and parking issues could increase in the vicinity of Heinz Field and PNC Park over the next year or so, with Columbus, Ohio-based Continental Real Estate Cos. moving forward with development between the sports stadiums.
Continental, the developer selected by the Steelers and Pirates for the North Shore area, may begin construction of what is known as North Shore Live entertainment complex and amphitheater in the Gold parking lot directly east of Heinz Field by year-end, Rooney said.
Frank Kass, chairman of Continental, said construction of a third office building, with Equitable Resources Inc. a possible tenant, could begin if the energy company wins state and federal regulatory approval of its proposed acquisition of locally based Dominion Peoples Gas and Hope Gas in West Virginia from Dominion Resources Inc.
A hotel is planned on a parking lot across North Shore Drive from the existing Equitable Resources headquarters building.
Bob Oltmanns, Majestic Star's spokesman, said the casino company had met with the Steelers and Pirates before the license was awarded and wants to help alleviate traffic overflow on game days.
"We want to be good neighbors," Oltmanns said. "We have said all along that we thought our parking facility would help relieve congestion on the North Shore, including during North Shore events." |
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