by KYW's Kim Glovas

Hundreds of residents of Chinatown crowded into the Holy Redeemer Chinese Church at 9th and Vine Streets on Thursday night for a public meeting on the proposed Foxwoods Casino. The proposed plan would place the casino at the Gallery.

It was a raucous crowd that filled the room, many asking for city and state representatives to stop the casino from coming into Chinatown. One woman was especially passionate about the issue:

"You're gonna kill us.  I've seen people in my own family taken down by this addiction, and they are gonna take more people down.  We've got some young people who are going to be prey to these casinos."

Councilman Frank DiCicco responded:

"My father took his life because he was a gambler, OK? I understand! Why would  you let casinos in? Why would you let casinos in? You're gonna have casinos either here or ten blocks away."

Mayor's spokesman Terry Gillen told the crowd this is Governor Rendell's plan and it isn't going away.
 
(Photo by KYW's Ed Fischer)