North Shore news

Do you remember how the mayor and Pirates and Steelers officials promised that the new stadiums would spur development on the North Shore and lure businesses there? Well, they were right--another company may open an office there. Unfortunately, the company in question merely would move from Downtown to the North Shore. Similarly, Equitable and Del Monte are moving their offices to the North Shore from Downtown. So in other words, no new jobs are being created; they are just being shifted around. Well done, Mayor Murphy.

And in other North Shore news, Pittsburgh parking magnate Merrill Stabile calls the Pirates and Steelers on their hippocrisy in opposing his bid to open a casino on the North Shore. I'm not thrilled the city is going to be cursed with one of these things, as you well know, but I just don't buy the sports teams' arguments against locating one on the North Shore. I think it's really about their desire to control all development that takes place between their two taxpayer-financed stadiums.

Here's what Stabile told the PG:

"Basically, this crowd generated by this facility will be far more sedate than any of the tailgating crowds generated by the sports teams," he said.

"[Casino patrons] will drive in, park their cars, go inside and you won't see them again. They won't be out in the parking lots drinking cans of Iron City Light and roasting kielbasa, not that there's anything wrong with that. My point is that this won't in any way diminish [the environment]."