Should we be excited or disgusted that Ira Lubert is building a casino at Penn State?

[McMick]

I used to always get lucky at Bugsy's in Vegas.
Never could figure if they were pros.
Then I realized it didn't really matter, I was going to drop some coin either way.

 

[roswelllion]

So I am only slightly opposed to the casino but completely disgusted with all things Lubert so my vote is probably in- between.

 

[Grant Green]

IMHO gambling is simply a vice no different than booze, drugs, cigarettes, over-eating, sex, etc. You either have the willpower to beat them or you succumb. If you are going to lose your money at a casino, that isn't much different than the online betting or strip joint down the street.

Tommy Lasorda said it best "it's not a disease, it's a weakness".

Don't forget the vice of social media. Some people spend hours upon hours posting and reading posts everyday.

 

[LionJim]

Don't forget the vice of social media. Some people spend hours upon hours posting and reading posts everyday.

Thanks for the reminder. See y’all tomorrow.

 

[dbonsick]

My vote would have been slightly favor without Lubert. Adding his name moved me to disgusted. Yet another case of our BOT enriching themselves from their positions rather than driving meaningful improvement to the school.

Curious how you believe Lubert is using his position as a now former trustee to benefit himself via this business Decision? This casino has nothing to do with Penn State and is strictly a business decision/opportunity.

 

[JustinTyme]

Retired college professor here. If that group is the target, the casino is going to go broke very, very quickly. College professors, as a breed, don’t gamble. Trust me.

I have taught at one of the academies. Not a Ph.D. but several years as a rotating instructor in the sciences (M.S. was all the time the military was willing to give any of us going back to grad school for one rotation at the academies). I can say from my experience that professors in the History Department or English Department did not share our affinity for probability and statistics or analytical and quantitative approach to problem solving. This is why I qualified the statement as non-science/math/engineering profs in arts and humanities. They still make a lot of money but they are wired very differently than you or I. They score much higher on the emotional scale which is what is exploited at a casino as your other thought processes are drowned out.

 

[heckmans]

Yes, casinos are fun, and yes they do generate tax revenues... largely by emptying the pockets of degenerates and people fighting addiction. And, yes, they do attract a certain element that could be considered fun by some, but are prostitutes, bookies, mob bosses and bagmen really that much of a value-add?

Does Ira Lubert -- and his syndicate of capital partners -- stand to make a small fortune on this development courtesy of his power and influence as the chairman of the Penn State Board of Trustees?

What does this casino bring to the Penn State community?

If you were James Franklin, what are your thoughts? Does this put his student-athletes and the health of his program at risk? Think back to Mike McQueary. State College is a small town and it wouldn't be hard to find guys like Mike who might be willing to influence the outcome of a game for personal gain.

Do you think there will be a 2nd Mile Hospitality Lounge?.....what? too soon?

 

[wbcincy]

Got it. Makes sense since you are more likely to know and understand the odds, which heavily favor the house.

Well but I have this strategy....

 

[Leo Ridens]

I meant to imply that college professors, as a breed, don’t gamble. Not that they know how to beat the house. I edited to clarify.

One of our postdocs (now a prof at a university) was (and still is) a very successful card counter. He formed a small consortium of investors (his grad school thesis advisor was an investor) and traveled around he country to play. He made sure never to hit any one casino too hard or too long so as to avoid the blacklist, which is shared among many casinos. His one hard rule is never to count cards at tribal casinos. He said that if they catch you counting cards they won't just blacklist you, they will take you out behind the casino and beat the crap out of you. At his going away party he brought a deck of cards and taught our group the rules of card counting. I thought it was the most mind-numbingly boring way to spend time. Perhaps most professors have a finite boredom quotient or better ways to earn extra money (consulting and small tech startups come to mind) but there are exceptions. Jim, now that you are retired, perhaps it is time to give professional card-counting a try. Just don't try it at Ira Lubert's casino - If they catch you they may immerse you in a vat of onion dip.

 

[EPC FAN]

Yea, there were different articles. The one you linked was the one I was remembering.

I live about 5 miles from the casino. It's a benefit to me to have it close by and far enough that I don't get the bad parts, but this is a pretty big operation. The dining and shopping and entertainment venue are great. Not sure State College would get that much benefit from it and I doubt it would be nearly close in size and scope.

Asians at Sands Bethlehem casino 'ride bus to live'

Sands Bethlehem casino attracts Asians from New York who ride bus to live.

www.mcall.com

 

[Connorpozlee]

I’d like to see the results if you stopped the poll question after the word “is”.

 

[walleye38]

Yes, casinos are fun, and yes they do generate tax revenues... largely by emptying the pockets of degenerates and people fighting addiction. And, yes, they do attract a certain element that could be considered fun by some, but are prostitutes, bookies, mob bosses and bagmen really that much of a value-add?

Does Ira Lubert -- and his syndicate of capital partners -- stand to make a small fortune on this development courtesy of his power and influence as the chairman of the Penn State Board of Trustees?

What does this casino bring to the Penn State community?

If you were James Franklin, what are your thoughts? Does this put his student-athletes and the health of his program at risk? Think back to Mike McQueary. State College is a small town and it wouldn't be hard to find guys like Mike who might be willing to influence the outcome of a game for personal gain.

The way you talk, the people that like to have fun going to the casinos are degenerates , addicts, or something. Don't normal people like to have fun also? I'm all for having a casino.. Let people make up their own mind. You sound too much like the Democrats who want to control everyone's life.

 

[northwoods]

The way you talk, the people that like to have fun going to the casinos are degenerates , addicts, or something. Don't normal people like to have fun also? I'm all for having a casino.. Let people make up their own mind. You sound too much like the Democrats who want to control everyone's life.

Yeah --- wearing a facemask, social distancing, and being careful about indoor dining and being with groups of people is a hell of a sacrifice that's being asked.

 

[Woodpecker]

College professors, as a breed, don’t gamble.

Wanna bet?

 

[johnmpsu]

If people are going to complain about the casino because of the students maybe they should stop giving lottery tickets to students as a prize at half time. Personally I find that more offensive than this casino.

 

[81b&w]

I've always loved the line "lottery proceeds benefit senior citizens" . Bet there's been a lot of pensions trickled away