Bill Would Give TT a Piece of Casino Action

A bill introduced Friday in Harrisburg by State Rep. Warren Kampf (R-157) would give Tredyffrin Township a "piece of the action" on profits from the new Valley Forge Casino.

The proposal basically says that since Tredyffrin Township bears some of the same burdens of housing the casino as Upper Merion, Tredyffrin deserves some of the money that casinos pass along to their home townships.  The new Valley Forge Casino is techincally in Upper Merion, but it is very close to the Tredyffrin Township border and draws employees, visitors and traffic from, and through, Tredyffrin Township.

The following is a legislative update released by Kampf's office:

Meetings with constituents and township officials confirmed my belief that while the Valley Forge Resort and Casino is located within Upper Merion Township, it is immediately adjacent to Tredyffrin Township and will have an impact on Tredyffrin’s infrastructure.

Under the Gaming Act, the local share assessment was created to assist host counties and municipalities with the costs of having a casino in their area. The act states that 2 percent of gross terminal revenue from slots is distributed to the host county, and 2 percent is distributed to the host municipality. Each host county and each municipality then have specific uses for the money as described in the act.

As for table game play, the host county receives 1 percent of revenue and the host municipality also receives 1 percent. Currently, under the Gaming Act, the local share assessment for table games goes to Upper Merion Township.

Under House Bill 2537, 85 percent of the local share for slots and the local share for table games will continue to go to Upper Merion Township, but Tredyffrin Township would receive 15 percent of the local share.

Based on the Valley Forge Resort and Casino’s impact on Tredyffrin Township, and input from my constituents, this bill is fair and justified.