Group Protests Against Casino bid
A bid from Sheffield for Britain's first super casino was met by protests from a group that is against the said proposal following a public meeting in the city June 25. People from different walks of life comprised the group of an estimated sixty people, including religious leaders, businessmen, councillors and members of the public.
The proposal is for the construction of a Las Vegas style casino which could be built either on Meadowhall or Bramall Lane. The meeting that was organized by Green Party Councilor Jillian Creasy lasted for two-hours at Victoria Hall at Norfolk Street. The meeting discussed the potential environmental, social and moral issues that the building of the casino might ensue.
"We are most concerned about people who can least afford it suffering the most from gambling," one of the protestors, Bishop of Sheffield Jack Nichols said. "It would be easy to label those arguing against the casino as crackpot religious people telling others what to do but there are other people who have no religion at all who are just as opposed." He added.
He furthermore stated: "Sheffield is a city with a conscience where people are determined to narrow the gap between rich and poor - but a super casino will dehumanise people."
Another protester is a two-year resident of Sheffield, Australian expatriate Robert Krause. He related his personal of being a former gambler himself, stopping only when his uncle and a friend hit rock bottom due to gambling. His uncle was forced to give up a million-dollar apartment in Australia to pay off gambling debts and is now surviving on state pension, while his friend committed suicide because of the same dilemma.
"With problem gamblers the Government has to pick up the pieces by providing them with benefits or subsidizing their housing. In Sheffield this could cost up to £1 million a week," he said.
Meanwhile financial adviser Sidney Cordle is against the super casino because he fears that the community might attract 'the wrong kind of people'. "Things like prostitution and strip joints are attracted to areas where there is gambling. We have to fight the casino to make sure it never comes to Sheffield," he said.
A Member of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Engineering firm managing director Kenneth Torres is also openly against the plan.
Green Party Councilor Bernard Little, whose Central ward includes Bramall Lane, issued a warning: "A casino will bring yet more traffic into the city where the air quality is already poorer than what it should be."
The meeting was open for discussion with the public, but nobody stood in defense of the casino.
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