all in springfield

Here at towers of ilium we just can't seem to leave casinos alone. I lifted this picture from this blog: http://hellsacres.blogspot.com/

When it comes to Springfield, my sense of perspective and attachment is limited. The city feels familiar in the way that junkyards feel familiar. Despair is mixed with opportunity, but the opportunity comes from the potential for destruction and salvage, not rejuvenation. The casino plan is like the transmission from the Ford Bronco that can be put into an F-150 pickup so the thing runs for a few more years. If we had to write a song, it would be "Let's all limp together, let's all limp together...."

On net, the casino will have a positive regional effect in my opinion. But the benefits will be spread around the surrounding towns. Downtown Springfield will suffer from the inevitable negatives that the casino must bring--drug dealers, loan sharks, thieves, hustlers. They'll just have more energy.