The Wildside: In need of a new name for its facelift

Last Thursday, the state gaming board awarded  the last resort casino license to Nemacolin Woodlands, a short drive south of Pittsburgh, making way for up to 600 slot machines and 50 table games.

For those unfamiliar, Nemacolin is pretty much the center of opulence in Fayette County, and houses a five diamond French restaurant that I felt poor just walking past, not to mention the polo fields, immense art collection, cigar bar and various other attractions that will empty your wallet, although not as fast as the soon to be renovated Wildside.

The Wildside, which, presumably is where Joe Hardy will put in the new casino was originally built (and more importantly, wired) to be a casino.  It sits on Route 40, easy to access, with plenty of parking. Inside you’ll find a bar, pool tables, a restaurant, climbing walls, exotic bird enclosure, arcade, bowling alley and a giant model train.  The building was first a sporting and outdoor goods store, which has since relocated to downtown Uniontown, so it appears that in the end, everything comes full circle.

However, the name announced is pretty awful: Lady Luck Nemacolin.  This is a world-class resort that resides on Lafeyette Drive, has a restaurant named Laurtec and one (of two) golf courses named Mystic Rock.  The best they could come up with is “Lady Luck Nemacolin?”  Where is the glamor and excitement in a name like that?

I did a straw poll at work and it was unanimous: the name stinks.  Here’s hoping that they come up with something more grand, and soon.

The strangest thing about all of this: there is no mention of the awarding of the casino license on the Nemacolin website.  Some of the neighbors still think they will run into a few snags along the way, but to an outsider, it seems like a done deal.  Let’s hope Route 40 will get a few turning lanes (and better upkeep in the winter)!

Pitt News has an excellent article about the upcoming filming of “The Dark Knight Rises” in downtown:

Before the hype spirals out of control, however, it seems necessary to reevaluate how much Pittsburgh will actually benefit from its “Dark Knight” spotlight and whether that spotlight will be the public relations miracle some have hoped for. I, for one, doubt that the film will lead audiences to revise their perceptions of our city; that — at the risk of sounding like a downer — this film is really our ticket to long-overdue respect.

Tybout continues to discuss the fact that most of what we see of Gotham, at least in the action sequences, are dark alleyways and other small locations, although he thinks (and I have to agree) that parts of Pittsburgh’s skyline, especially PPG Place, will most likely be spotted in the final cut of the film.

As awesome is it is that Nolan and his cast and crew will be in town to film, I can’t imagine Pittsburgh fitting into Gotham, or Batman coming to the Steel City as part of the storyline (on a side note, for those that know, where in the U.S. is Gotham, or is that never discussed in the comics?).

Once again we see more evidence as Pittsburgh becoming a small Hollywood of the East, and it’s great to get the recognition and the publicity that this city deserves.

Now, who else thinks that we should get the Bat Signal?

Big win for D’s II in Monroeville today at the chili cook off held at South Side Works.  Here is Dan with their trophy (from my crappy camera phone)

If you have never been, stop in at either Monroeville or Regent Square for an awesome selection of craft, impored and domestic beer, great food (obviously) and the best staff in the world.

I may have a picture to go with this post, I have to go through my phone and see if it is salvageable.  But I went down to the depths of Fayette County today, and I have to say, it was the strangest trip (of too many to count) that I’ve ever driven.  Here is a partial list of what I witnessed:

• Camels.  This is when I knew it was going to be a strange trip.
• Two women from the Bruderhoff waving at passing traffic
• More horse shit than I though would be possible
• Nemacolin employees walking between facilities on the highway (you would think that Joe Hardy could afford a shuttle)
• A charity car wash
• More walkers going up and down the Summit than I have ever seen at one time
• A stretch limo on back roads
• A professional racing car

I will just say this: Good gravy.

Give me another one to figure out!

Travel safe everyone!

While the IMF’s president, DSK, works through the legal system, I was reminded of this photo from the G-20 opening reception at Phipps:

Well that’s awkward.

One of my new favorite blogs is “Musings from FayetteNam.”

Not only has it covered the recent ninja activities in the area, but also the ice cream truck wars:

On behalf of the children of the Nam, and myself even though I never manage to catch the truck that comes up here, give peace a chance. We need our ice cream.

My Alma Matter (at least for K-4) is banding together to help a fellow classmate, 9 year old Jasmine, who is recovering from her second of three surgeries to take care of a brain tumor.

The students, teachers and parents held a bingo night, and will be holding multiple dinner fundraisers in the fall as well.  As I find out about more events, I’ll post details here.

WTAE has the story here.

The Post-Gazette has an article about some people deciding not to eat at Primatin’s during the NRA convention.  Apparently, while working their way across the country, a gun-control group stopped in and took their picture with some of the staff.

While I’ve never been inclined to take my picture with the staff at Primanti’s, I grew up here, so it’s just a regular place I go to eat, something I probably take for granted.  While I think this falls under tourism more than activism…I actually agree with the NRA-type folks on the underlying issue.  And coming from a pacifist, that is saying a lot!

There are a few stores I don’t shop at because of the major political donations they have made.  That’s my choice.  Some of my friends think I’m crazy, because the small amount that I spend, really, in the grand scheme of things, won’t make a difference to those huge conglomerates.

And they are right: it won’t.  But I’m not going to give money to the stores that are actively trying to take away my rights.  And I would hope that everyone else does the same.  That is, does some research and finds out what stores support which issues, and vote with your wallet.

And as far as the famously over stuffed sandwiches are concerned:

As far as Primanti Bros. is concerned, perhaps the only customers who should feel unwanted there are dieters.