Opinion: Catskills deserves better than casinos

Monday, February 25, 2008  

"A recipe for disaster ...

Ingredients:

* 1,700 acres of Catskill real estate.

* 2,500 electronic slot machines.

* Potpourri of drifters, prostitutes, footpads, sharpers, criminals (small time),organized crime (big time).

* Donald Trump.

Stir, serve, hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

But wait, I can hear them saying, he didn't mention the 3,000 jobs. Ah, yes, the jobs. There are always those promised jobs dangled as bait to tempt the wary.

A renaissance for the long-suffering Catskills that have seen hard times since the decline of the summer resorts that began some 40 years ago. That's how this latest bid to bring a little bit of Atlantic City to Kiamesha Lake is being sold.

That's a good thing?"

Get the Story:
David Rossie: Catskills deserve better than exploitation (The Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin 2/24)