Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold public hearings to examine the possibility of the Pennsylvania General Assembly authorizing the addition of slot machines and other gaming equipment at Philadelphia International Airport to enhance traveler experiences and provide an additional funding source for the School District of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, Philadelphia International Airport accommodated over 30 million passengers in 2013 with over 600 daily flights and 200 businesses on-site. Once past the TSA check-point, travelers are limited to in-terminal entertainment and food options, and slot machines and other video gaming options would provide new entertainment opportunities for all adult travelers; and

WHEREAS, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, NV is by far the most gambling friendly airport in the world. With more than 1300 slot machines and other gaming apparatus, the airport provides at least $27 million per year to Clark County as part of their contract with the concession operator at the airport. In 2013, McCarran airport hosted 41 million passengers, meaning the municipal government realizes nearly $.66 for each passenger in gaming revenue. Pennsylvania currently taxes slot machine revenue at $.55 for every dollar, significantly higher than Nevada. If Philadelphia were realize a similar per passenger rate, we could see over $15 million a year in new revenue; and

WHEREAS, Other states and municipalities have recently begun debating and implementing similar arrangements. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport just added video gaming terminals to their facility last year as an attempt to produce revenue for the building of a new football stadium. Just this month the New York State Senate voted to approve video gaming terminals and slot machines being installed in airports such as JFK International and LaGuardia Airport. Chicago and Baltimore have also investigated this idea as a revenue generator for their cities; and

WHEREAS, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg could also take advantage of this option at their airports. Pittsburgh International Airport hosted over eight million passengers last year, while Harrisburg International Airport hosted just under one million passengers. Nearly $5 million could be realized from adding gaming options to these airports as well; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, slot machines at Pennsylvania casinos provided $1.3 billion in taxes to the Commonwealth, which although a slight drop from 2012, still provided substantial revenue to allow for tax relief across the state; and

WHEREAS, While not a panacea for our school district funding problems, adding slot machines and video gaming terminals to our airports could provide significant revenue for schools, as well as provide new entertainment for a captive audience past the security check-point at our airports; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Committee on Education is authorized to hold public hearings to examine the possibility of the Pennsylvania General Assembly authorizing the addition of slot machines and other gaming equipment at Philadelphia International Airport to enhance traveler experiences and provide an additional funding source for the School District of Philadelphia.

End