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Rooneys Issue Statement On North Shore Casino Plan

POSTED: 5:39 pm EDT May 31, 2007
UPDATED: 1:44 am EDT June 1, 2007

On Thursday, the Rooney family released a statement regarding the master plan of the North Shore casino, which they disapprove of.

The Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved the plan for the proposed slots casino on the North Shore.

The approval -- a win for Detroit businessman Don Barden of PITG Gaming -- came despite opposition from the Steelers, the Pirates and the Carnegie Science Center.

The Rooney family, which own the Steelers, said the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday is proof that the commission is trying to push through with an "inadequate master plan," because the family only had three minutes to present its argument.

In the statement, Steelers President Art Rooney said, "PITG's lack of cooperation and the lack of a willingness to take responsibility for doing things right leaves us with ongoing concern for how this project will be done. We must do what is necessary to protect the interest of our fans in being able to attend games at Heinz Field in a safe and convenient environment."

The two sports teams wanted a game-day traffic study to be done before the vote. They are concerned casino traffic could cause congestion, especially on game days at nearby Heinz Field and PNC Park.

The Science Center's concerns include pedestrian safety, lighting and the ability to get school buses on and off its property.

The Rooneys have not yet determined if they plan to take their argument to court.


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