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On Thursday, the first of two days of public hearings on the awarding of a second casino license for the city, the independent Design Advocacy Group made public its letter-grade judgments of plans submitted by six would-be gambling-den developers. The group, consisting of local design and architecture professionals, graded each plan on site location and architecture.

The clear winner was The Goldenberg Group's Market 8, planned for a surface parking lot at 8th and Market streets. The concept, which puts retail and dining outlets on the street level and the casino five floors up, received an "A" for its central location and a "B+" for its modern, webbed-glass styling.

Developer Bart Blatstein's Provence, to be located in the iconic white tower vacated last summer by the Daily News, Inquirer and Philly.com, was the only other project that received any kind of enthusiasm from DAG. It got a "B+" for location, but just a "C+" for architecture.

DAG's grades are nonbinding recommendations and the final decision is up to the Gaming Control Board.

DAG spokeswoman Kiki Bolender described Market 8's design as "by far the best architecture," and said the proposed gaming, dining, retail and entertainment complex deserves a "gold star for taking design seriously."

State Sen. Michael Stura (D-Lancaster) said it's out of character for him to weigh in on projects outside his district, but he said he attended because he believes the $488 million Market 8 casino is "the clear choice" for the license.

Stura praised its location in the Market East corridor as "optimal," as it would provide a bridge between the Convention Center, where the hearing was held, and the historic district. The result, he said, would be to "revitalize what was once a thriving business district."

Of the remaining four entries in the casino-license sweepstakes, the three planned for the South Philly stadium district - PHL Local Gaming LLC's Casino Revolution, Pa. Gaming Ventures LLC's Hollywood Casino and Stadium Casino LLC's Live! Hotel and Casino - all received grades in the "C" range in both categories.

Faring worst was Las Vegas-based casino tycoon Steve Wynn's Wynn Philadelphia, which would be situated adjacent to Penn Treaty Park in Fishtown.

The concept earned a "D+" for its site, which Bollender said would create a "de facto casino district" (with SugarHouse just south) that would mitigate the plans for a mixed-use waterfront north of Penn's Landing. The aesthetic grade of "C-" was caused by what she called the casino-hotel's "generic" design. Bollender noted it is virtually identical to a gambling complex Wynn hopes to build in Massachusetts.

Beyond the unveiling of DAG's scorecard, Thursday's program was an opportunity for interested parties - political, organizational and individual - to endorse or condemn the proposals, to praise various individuals behind them, or to advise the Gaming Control Board on how to go about their selection process.

For instance, a number of union workers voiced their fears that the Hollywood and Live! projects would result in "fast-food" jobs with few or no benefits. And there were many testimonials to the personal integrity and business success of Blatstein and of Joseph Procacci, a produce magnate who is the lead investor of Casino Revolution. The many glowing words about Blatstein prompted him to joke that he was going to choose who would eulogize him at his funeral.

The Convention Center hearings end Friday. Another session is set for May 8, with the gaming board expected to award the license by year's end.

To register to speak, go to www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov.

 

On Twitter: @chuckdarrow