December 2006



Mr. Tad Decker, Chairman
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
P.O. Box 69060
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9060

Dear Chairman Decker:

As you consider applications for Category 2 Gaming Licenses, I urge you to reject the Crossroads Resort and Spa facility proposed near Gettysburg.

By its very nature, the proposed slots parlor directly conflicts with the family-friendly and respectful atmosphere that Gettysburg and Gettysburg National Military Park (NMP) seek to foster and to market.

As a historian, I feel strongly that Gettysburg is a unique historic and cultural treasure deserving careful stewardship. Gettysburg belongs to all Americans equally—future generations no less than those of us alive today. It is our solemn duty to protect this resource, not squander it through misguided choices.

The Gaming Control Board repeatedly has stated that public opinion will be among the categories weighed during the licensing process. Time and again—through letters, phone calls, oral testimony during hearings, tens of thousands of petitions, informal surveys and scientific polls—the people of Pennsylvania and the entire country clearly have stated that the very idea of putting a slots parlor so close to the hallowed ground of Gettysburg borders on abomination.

Today, I am proud to be counted among the many thousands who have made publicly known our feelings on the incongruity of Crossroads’ plan to put a casino at Gettysburg.

There are many places to build a casino, but there’s only one Gettysburg. I respectfully urge you and your fellow board members to protect Gettysburg for all Americans by denying the Crossroads Gaming Resort and Spa application.

Signed,

Garry Adelman
Russell H. Allen
John R. Baker
William B. Baker
Ed Bearss
Melvyn S. Berger
Arthur W. Bergeron
Edward H. Bergstrom
James G. Bogle O.R.
Charles Brooks
Kent Masterson Brown
Susannah Bruce
Brian Burton
Victoria Bynum
Chris Calkins
Peter S. Carmichael
Thomas Cartwright
John Cimprich
Clarissa W. Confer
Leroy H. Corbin
Dr. John M. Coski
Lynda L. Crist
Gordon E. Dammann D.D.S.
Larry Daniel
Tom Deblack
Joseph F. Von Deck
Richard DiNardo
Dr. Kenneth D. Durr
Stephen D. Engle
David Evans
Rex H. Felton
Bruce E. Garry
Mary Giunta
William Gladstone
Robert M. Gorin Jr.
A. Wilson Greene
James Hill Gressette
Edward J. Hagerty
Alfred W. Hahn
Dr. Judith Lee Hallock
Scott Hartwig
John Hennessy
Earl Hess
Lawrence L. Hewitt
T. John Hillmer Jr.
Charles Holden
Janet Holsinger
Carson Hudson
William J. Hupp
Perry D. Jamieson
Willie Ray Johnson
Whitmel M. Joyner
Vivian Lee Joyner
Brad Keefer
Chris Kolakowski
Robert K. Krick
Connie Langum
Ms. Randall Lewis
Christopher Losson
Blake A. Magner
George L. Mahoney
R. Wayne Mahood
William Marvel
Michael McCoyer
James McPherson
Greg Mertz
Lee Millar
Dr. Brian Miller
Randall Miller
Eric Mink
Carl H. Moneyhon
Richard Moore
Frank O'Reilly
John D. Perkins
Don Pfanz
Keith Poutler
Dr. Gerald Prokopowicz
George C. Rable
Jennifer Randazzo
S. Waite Rawls III
Carol Reardon
Michael C. Reis
J. Mark Rheudasil
Jeffrey Richman
James Rife
Bud Robertson
Charles Roland
Michael R. Russell
Dr. Laurence D. Schiller
Dr. Glenna R. Schroeder-Lein
Timithy H. Smith
Lee Sullivan
Colonel W. D. Swank (Ret)
Craig L. Symonds
Andrew Talkov
Donny Taylor
Henry P. Trawick Jr.
Tony R. Trimble
Wendy Venet
Paul Veneziano
Brent Vosburg
George Vourlojianis
Clay Williams
Roger Wilson
Mac Wycoff
Gerry D. York
Mary E Youngen
Calvin Goddard Zon