Art News

Casino Proposed Near Historic Battlefield Splits Gettysburg

GETTYSBURG (AP).- The town where the Civil War’s tide-turning battle was waged is fighting dissension in its own ranks, with even hard-core preservationists split over a proposed casino that would rise near the historic battlefield and be named for the line that divided North and South. It’s the second time in five years that Gettysburg has fought over a plan to build a casino. This time it’s the Mason Dixon Resort & Casino, proposed on a hotel and conference center site within a mile of the southern boundary of Gettysburg National Military Park. “No Casino” and “Pro Casino” signs pepper shop windows in the quaint streets of Gettysburg, where more than a million tourists shop, dine or sleep each year. Supporters say the casino plan doesn’t tread on hallowed ground and will bring jobs, more tourists and tax relief to the area. But the potential that a casino will cheapen the wholesome reputation that draws tourists to Gettysburg, where 160,000 Union and Confederate soldiers fough