A leader emerges in race for gaming rights

Three companies are vying for gambling rights, but the city wants more.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The city's gaming task force wants to see more cards on the table from three casino operators vying for a slots license, but so far a plan promising a new arena for the Penguins appears to have a slight edge.
The Pittsburgh Gaming Task Force said it does not have enough information to decide which plan is best due to a lack of information on dealing with issues such as "traffic, the design of the facility, and the mitigation of the negative social impact of gaming."
The task force's report issued Friday, is being sent to the state Gaming Control Board, which is expected to award the license this year.
The task force, which evaluated nine criteria, said Isle of Capri Casinos has the best plan so far in three categories: the arena, site design and traffic.
Forest City Enterprises, which is teaming with Harrah's Entertainment Inc., came out on top as having the best financial and site control plans. The proposal includes a slots parlor at Station Square, an entertainment and shopping complex on the city's South Side.
PITG Gaming LLC, which wants to build a $460 million slots parlor west of where the Steelers and Pirates play, was judged as having the best plan for minority hiring.
More to come
The task force said it wanted more information for all of those categories as well as for facility design and local economic development spinoffs.
Isle of Capri said it will pay $290 million for a new arena if it gets the license. PITG Gaming said it would contribute $7.5 million a year over 30 years, the amount that Gov. Ed Rendell called for from casino operators when he announced his arena funding plan in March.
Forest City/Harrah's said it supported Rendell's arena funding plan, though officials have not said how much they would contribute if granted a license.
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