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Pittsburgh task force members resign

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania – As reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Three members of the Pittsburgh Gaming Task Force have resigned, and the Heinz Endowments has dropped its funding in the wake of the group's near-endorsement of Isle of Capri for the city's casino license.

"The resignations were one repercussion from an evaluation released yesterday by the task force that rated Isle of Capri as the 'strongest' of the three proposals for the slots casino.

"Those who have resigned are Mary Navarro, senior program officer, arts and culture, for the Heinz Endowments; Ken Zapinski, a representative for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development; and Mike Edwards, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.

"In a letter Tuesday to task force co-chairs Anne Swager and Ron Porter, Ms. Navarro said she was resigning because she felt the group was moving toward a specific recommendation and a possible endorsement of one bidder over another.

"She said the Heinz Endowments, which has provided about $100,000 in funding to the task force, believes "this action runs counter to the original mission and the activity history of the task force since its creation" in 2005.

"…At the news conference, the task force released a letter it had sent to the Gaming Control Board in which it said the Isle of Capri proposal should be the standard by which the others are judged…"

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