"Fall In! and the Ike" Topic

I just had to share this info with those here who were so upset about FI leaving the Ike in Gettysburg.

Today at my work, they had several vendors and hotel reps set up soliciting business. One of the reps was there from the Ike, very nice lady. We got to chatting and I told her I had stayed there many times, and she gave me the low down on the hotel.

Seems the man who owned it passed away several years ago. Probably happened after the last big renovation. The long and short of it is that the people who inherited the place didn't want to put any more money into it (probably didn't have it anyway), and it has been for sale for years. A local man (who owns the local Harley dealership) has put a bid in on it, but it is contingent upon the hotel getting the local gaming license, which seems fairly likely, according to her. The hotel there is the biggest in the area room-wise, including the new Wyndham.

If that comes to pass (next 30 days I think she said), then one of the plans is to tear down the All Star Sports complex (which she says is an extremely expensive building to even turn the lights on for), and build the gaming casino right there. The hotel will most likely survive, but will probably get a face lift. Or, it also could be torn down and a completely new complex built there instead.

The potential new owner has been there many times looking it over, as have architects as well. So, if this all does come to pass in the next month, it turns out that there is no way Fall In! could have even taken place at the Ike this fall anyway.

Wow. Who knew. Thought those of you who liked going to Gettysburg (me among them), would like to know.

There is a big push from Civil War Preservation Trust to stop the casino from being built at Gettysburg

Any support to stop the casino would be great

I think they should tear it down and remodel the casino to look like the old observation tower that they imploded years ago.

If it were to be built at the present Ike site, does that really impact the battlefield? I dunno about that. I'm not a casino fan, but they are springing up all over the place now, and the people there probably want the jobs. The woman I spoke with was concerned about hers.

Between casino's and lotteries there is no better way for government to seperate suckers from their money. In the spirit of full disclosure, never bought a lottery ticket but I have been in numberous casino's…lost more than I won but took in as much as I was willing to loss and when it was gone, so was I.

db

If it were to be built at the present Ike site, does that really impact the battlefield?

well what about the traffic pattern & loads?

Emmitsburg Pike is a 2-lane road, 30/25? mph through the battlefield.

Can you imagine the horses and cars crossing the E Pike On West Confederate Ave to/from the South Confederate Ave [Warfield Ridge to the Round Tops]? They'd need a traffic light. And then people taking short cuts through the park roads to get from Baltimore Pike & Taneytown Rd to Bus. 15 Emmitsburg Rd for the casino, etc etc…

And if there is liquor involved at the casino, watch out for those monuments along Business 15….they'll be at risk from drunk drivers, something they don't face today.

so yes i can see an impact to visitors to the battlefield from a casino located technically "off the battlefield grounds"

why this venture is rated likely to succeed, when they just defeated a similar proposal on the east side of town on US-30 York Pike is beyond me. This one, IMO, is more a risk to the battlefield proper than the former one.

And if there is liquor involved at the casino, watch out for those monuments along Business 15….they'll be at risk from drunk drivers, something they don't face today

Actually I think the Battlefield would be better off with a lot less monuments. Well smaller ones anyway.

Back on topic.

Link to CWPT opposing the casino:
link

About the would be casino builder:
link

If you believe that the Civil War was actually about "states' rats" (far-fetched, I know; but people seem to want to insist on it) then you have to respect the principle of local determination. If the locals, through their elected representatives and officials, desire a casino, then they should get their casino.

Same principle as when I was serving in the Army of Occupation, and couldn't buy a beer off-post, where locals who had approved of slavery and fought on the behalf of slave-owners decided that it was immoral for anyone to have a brew.

Allen

Ahhhh the south, where every Saturday they get hammered while watchin the NasCar and then on Sunday in church rail at the demon alcohol.

They could have stayed at the Ike for another year but there has been talk of changes at the Ike in near future even four years ago. I have never been a fan of all three conventions in the same general area to begin with. I just do not think moving two in one year is a good idea.
VR
James Mattes

James:

I genenrally agree with your post, though it was kind of neat to have a historical gaming convention in what is perhaps the U.S.A.'s premiere military park. I really thought it was dumb a few years back when all three cons were at the Host, and it was one of the few FI's I skipped because of that.

I also agree that moving two in one year was a dumb move too, but moving to the Host alleviated the penalty in the contact for moving Hcon (which was part of the Hubig contract he signed alone without showing it to the then BOD first – so there is kind of a long history of this sort of thing, not that it makes it any better), and according to the woman I spoke with, the deal will either go or not go in 30 days, and if it does, the All Star may not be there by the fall anyway – so if (big word there) it does go through, the organization could not have stayed there this year. I am not sure they knew that though, as I never heard it mentioned.

Of similar disturbing note, did anyone notice all the construction around the Host? One post said that old dumpy hotel beside it was torn down to build more outlets. There was a lot of construction behind the overflow lot too. I wonder if the same is going on there as well? I wonder if this will impact the Host?

In regards to the flow of traffic going down business 15, I don't know. One of the easier ways to get there from Baltimore is to take 70 to 15, then get off at business 15, which does not impact traffic flow on the battlefield at all. I would also point out that one must wonder, with all the states building casinos (a tax on the stupid), how much traffic they'll really generate from out of area anyway.

Oh, I know, I had one more thing of hotel historical interest. Just down from the Host, a few blocks, is a similar looking old hotel (stone facing), which is now a Quality Inn (which not surprisingly lacks any quality). I stayed there last year and while talking with the staff (I am a chatty fellow), they told me that their building was the sister building to the Host. At one time they were owned by the same people, who built them as twin hotels. Eventually the one that is now a Quality Inn, was sold off. Needless to say, it has languished in updates, compared to the Host. It has some very steep steps in the front (not unlike the Host, only worse), but I didn't see any wheel chair ramp there. Now that place truly is a dump, whem compared to the Host.

When big ACW weekends take place the town gets packed to the gills. The anniversary reenactment weekend is even worse for traffic. Getting any place is a nightmare at that time of biblical proportions. The casino customers won't be able to get into town easily and hopefully they will all kill themselves instead in an area away from the National Park, perhaps in Maryland. We can only hope. :)

historygamer said "Of similar disturbing note, did anyone notice all the construction around the Host? One post said that old dumpy hotel beside it was torn down to build more outlets. There was a lot of construction behind the overflow lot too. I wonder if the same is going on there as well? I wonder if this will impact the Host?"

I mentioned on one of these many threads a while back about some of the changes I read about around the Host. The shopping center that is being built is supposed to house a Kohls and other large stores. Part of the proffers was for a light to be installed in front of the host….so that is good news.

Also, I read that a Four Points Sheraton is to replace one of the hotels across the street in the near future. Couple this with the recent completion of the Comfort Suites and the other hotel (Wyndham?) down past WaWa and the future for the corridor looks bright. Seems to be a lot of renewal going on in the area. I just can not believe that the golf course at the Host has not attacted some serious development.

DK

In regards to the flow of traffic going down business 15, I don't know. One of the easier ways to get there from Baltimore is to take 70 to 15, then get off at business 15, which does not impact traffic flow on the battlefield at all. I would also point out that one must wonder, with all the states building casinos (a tax on the stupid), how much traffic they'll really generate from out of area anyway.

I was thinking more for those wanting to go to the casino from north, west and east of town, not south. i too am not sure how many people will travel from Baltimore to gamble in G'burg as I don't know what options there are nor where. I was thinking strictly locally. People traveling to/from town to the casino.

The development east of the host was surprisingly large; I wondered if the Host had not already given up some of its golf course property behind the immediate land fronting US-30? Now currently there is a light at Dutch [Uncle} Wonderland, and one at the top of the hill for the restaurants on the south side, so would the new light be at the Host or further east, past the hill? I can not imagine 3 lights within approximately 1/3 – 1/2 mile…

IIRC, there also seemed to be a lot of land behind the Host even beyond that being developed. I noticed it last July when I parked on the grass, under some trees there.

The new hotels around the Host is good and bad. It offers more rooms at large facilities, but at a higher price than the old ones they replace.

It also does not offer any more room for dealers, flea markets, or games at the Host either, and you can imagine the fight if it were ever suggesed any group go down the road a few doors.

The words "To Hell in a Handbasket" do come to mind these days.

Allen said (in part):

"Same principle as when I was serving in the Army of Occupation, and couldn't buy a beer off-post, where locals who had approved of slavery and fought on the behalf of slave-owners decided that it was immoral for anyone to have a brew."

Allen, morals have and had very little to do with it !
It's all the money the 'Shine makers contribute to
State legislators' campaigns, in exchange for promises
to keep 'legal' alcohol scarce, that cause/caused
those laws. Here in NC, Chatham county (and others) are
still 'dry,' and the woods are alive with the aroma
of cooking mash…