Statement from Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation regarding proposed casino near Gettysburg Battlefield
Posted August 31, 2010 | Contact pr@nthp.org or 202-588-6141
August 31, 2010
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is here today because we believe Gettysburg is a place of national significance that we, as the nation’s leading preservation organization, have an obligation to help preserve. On behalf of our over 230,000 members across the country, including 9,455 here in Pennsylvania, we adamantly oppose this proposed casino in Gettysburg.
When President Lincoln dedicated the Gettysburg Battlefield in 1863, he ensured that this ground would remain sacred soil, a place for the entire nation to visit and remember the sacrifices made on the battlefield. For almost 150 years, untold numbers of Americans have visited Gettysburg to learn about a highly significant event in American history and remember the soldiers who fell here.
Among the most frequent visitors to historic places like Gettysburg are heritage travelers. For generations, heritage travelers have been coming to Gettysburg to tour the battlefield, and research shows that these heritage travelers greatly benefit the local economy. On average, heritage travelers to Civil War battlefields spend about $50 per person, per day at shops, restaurants, hotels and other businesses in the community. According to a 2009 national research study on cultural and heritage travel nationwide, heritage travelers on average spend $383 more per trip than other U.S. travelers. The bottom line is that heritage tourists are good for the local economy, and communities like Gettysburg that have maintained their local charm and authentic sense of place are able to reap the benefits of these travelers.
The National Trust does not believe that communities should be frozen in amber or preserved in place like museum artifacts. Communities evolve, and not every new business needs to be geared toward the interests of heritage travelers. As the National Trust’s National Main Street Center—which works to revitalize business districts in thousands of towns and cities across the country—can attest, a successful commercial district includes a mix of businesses. But city planners must also be mindful of the authentic sense of place that attracts heritage travelers and other visitors to places like Gettysburg.
Good city planning doesn’t mean that township leaders should accept just anything that comes along, bowing to the misguided argument that any jobs are better than none. Good planning needs to take the full picture—both short-range and long-range into account. In addition, a recent independent economic analysis suggests that many of the economic development claims made by casino supporters are either false or greatly exaggerated.
My own experience in the preservation of open land during 18 years at the Nature Conservancy tells me that part of the appeal of a visit to Gettysburg is the careful effort over the decades to balance conservation of open spaces with the historic built environment. A casino contributes nothing to this effort.
For residents of Gettysburg and Adams County, this casino jeopardizes the very things that have long made the area unique and attractive to heritage travelers. There are hundreds of casinos across the country. But there is only one Gettysburg.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately-funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places to enrich our future. www.PreservationNation.org
