Top 10 events from the summer in Philadelphia

By Carrie Caine
Collegian Reporter
August 30, 2006

10. Traffic and Weather—Philadelphia drivers suffered through frustrating and sporadic delays caused by several traffic projects this summer, most notoriously a resurfacing of I-476. A sealant that PennDot purchased did not harden in time for the Aug. 8 morning rush hour, causing a 17-mile traffic jam that affected most of the city’s major roads. Matters weren’t any better when I-95 buckled because of the three-digit temperatures courtesy of the incredible heat wave that hit the city in early August.

9. Missing the plane—A U.S. Department of Transportation study found that Philadelphia’s airport has the worst record for on-time arrivals out of the largest U.S. airports. Seventy percent of the planes flying from our fair city are late, which loses money and decreases tourism. However, a USA Today study ranked PHL’s amenities, such as art exhibits and day spas, among the best in the nation. The massages might serve to soothe angry passengers, but be sure to leave any leftover massage oil out of your carry-on.

8. The Philadelphia World Cup—Rowan University has drummed up investors and interest in their plan to bring a major-league soccer team to Philadelphia. The team would play in Glassboro, N. J., but until the team has a stadium to call their home field, they could play at venues such as Villanova, Penn, or Lincoln Financial Field. Hey, Philadelphia, didn’t you hear McCarthy Stadium now has lights? Information about supporting the movement is available at www.phillysoccer.com.

7. Wi-Fi lies—Philadelphia’s mayor, John Street, has told city residents for the last year that he will bring wireless Internet to all Philadelphians by this summer. Unfortunately, the purse strings and the politics got in the way, and now the city’s Chief Information Officer, Dianah Neff, has resigned amidst a flurry of ethical controversy and fled to Atlanta. The project is now delayed, and the city will have to wait for before there is Internet on every street corner.

6. Comcast Center construction—Liberty Property Trust will erect a 58-story office building in Philadelphia, and Comcast has rented 39 floors for its new headquarters. The complex will include a parking garage and a park, and after its completion in 2008, it will be the tallest building on the Philadelphia skyline. No word on whether Comcast will increase its already pricey cable hookups to pay for the new building.

5. Casino controversy—Currently five bids are in for gaming applications to advance the Philadelphia casino movement. Applicants include a TrumpStreet Casino in Nicetown, a Foxwoods complex on Columbus Boulevard, The Riverwalk Casino for Delaware Avenue and Spring Garden Street, the Sugarhouse Casino in Fishtown and a Pinnacle Entertainment casino in Fishtown. The people who stand to profit include Philadelphia’s Pat Croce and basketball coach Dawn Staley, but many of the residents in proposed locations are not excited about gambling on their doorsteps.

4. Newspaper shuffle—After changing hands from Knight Ridder and McClatchy, the major Philadelphia daily newspapers went under the control of Philadelphia Media Holdings, LLC, a company of Philadelphians headed by advertising exec Brian Tierney and Bruce Toll of Toll Brothers Properties. While some see it as a good model for local media control, others question whether the company leaders will slant the news to benefit their own interests.

3. Philadelphia football props—The release of the movie Invincible, screened in Philadelphia on Aug. 15, brought recent national attention to the story of Dick Vermeil’s open tryouts in 1976 that resulted in Vince Papale’s spot with the Eagles. The movie was shot in Philadelphia during the 2005-2006 football season and might help the world appreciate the City of Brotherly Love’s football fans more than the fans’ behavior at Eagles games.

2. Cold rejection—Philadelphia barely contended in the race to host the 2016 Olympics, due to a lack of any international image. Despite widespread city support for the proposal, the international committee remained unimpressed and left the field to Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

1. “This is America. When ordering, please speak English.”—Geno’s received national attention this summer as the debate over immigration raged on for what some would call a politically incorrect and intolerant sign outside of the beloved cheesesteak joint. Owner Joey Vento told the nation’s reporters that he wouldn’t remove the signs even if the city fined him because of his staunch beliefs in freedom of speech and his concern about what he sees as a growing community of illegal immigrants in South Philadelphia. The ACLU determined that unless the stand refuses service because of language, Geno’s is within lawful boundaries.

cainec1@lasalle.edu