There has been an incredible amount of news over the past few days that I want to discuss, from Obama in Philly to shameful actions by our State Legislature. As we try to catch up, I think it is worthwhile to think about the fiasco in Chinatown.

First, on Thursday night, there was Chinatown's incredible, emotionally charged meeting with Frank DiCicco and a lot of understandably pissed off residents:

In one of the most emotional moments, Lai-Har Cheung, who grew up in Chinatown, shouted at lawmakers and Foxwoods executives that gambling would destroy families. Through tears and pleas, she said her relatives were gambling addicts.

"I'm scared," Cheung implored. "This is going to take more people down."

City Councilman Frank DiCicco told her, "My father took his life because he was a gambler. I understand."

Cheung said the revelation had stunned her. In light of it, she said, "I don't understand why he would allow this to happen."

Chinatown residents are up against a wall. Supposed good government groups like the Design Advocacy Group have, for some reason, already come out big for Foxwoods, sending a letter saying that they were oh-so-very happy see the Chinatown move.

DAG is an organization of architects, planners, preservationists, builders, and others whose mission is to promote design excellence in the region. "A big design group has weighed in that this is a good move. We're happy about that," Gillen said.

DAG's letter, which was approved by the roughly 20-member steering committee and dated five days after Foxwoods announced it was considering The Gallery - states that the location is advantageous because it is very well served by public transportation and is close to existing hotels, shops and restaurants. DAG also wrote that both the site and the casino design must be thoroughly reviewed in an open process.

"We really do welcome this. This is a remarkable option for the city," said DAG vice chairman David Brownlee in a phone interview this afternoon.

But he and fellow vice chairmen George L. Claflen Jr., who was also part of the phone call, said while their organization has endorsed the site, much hinges on the design. DAG has invited Foxwoods' developers to a design review. They haven't heard back.

So, five days after the plan is announced, without seeing any... designs, but knowing full well that there will be an enraged community, the DAG enthusiastically promotes a Casino to Chinatown? Am I the only one who thinks that is ridiculous? You are enthused about a plan you don't know about, in a neighborhood that doesn't want it? I am sure the DAG means well, and is not exactly filled with awful people, but this seems like a strangely tone-deaf and -at best- premature decision.

Next, Frank DiCicco starts the process of introducing legislation to get the Casino process going, at least a little. (I encourage you to read his entire letter):

The beginning of this process will be the introduction of zoning legislation next Thursday, October 16. This legislation will amend the Commercial Entertainment District zoning classification to create design guidelines that are appropriate for a Center City casino. In addition, a second bill will alter the zoning classification of the Gallery to CED.

It is important to know that should this legislation pass, Foxwoods still will not have the ability to pull zoning or construction permits. The CED zoning classification requires that Foxwoods submit and that the Planning Commission and City Council approve a Plan of Development. Currently, it is unclear if and when that Plan will be submitted.

In other words, if Foxwoods fails to provide adequate plans or the City determines that this is an inappropriate location, then we still have the opportunity to abandon the project.

I am sure he is right, that introducing the first piece of legislation doesn't make this a done deal. But whether he is right or not, this all points me to a 10,000 pound weight sitting on the back of Chinatown residents, telling them to negotiate. Expect to hear that advice a lot.

Chris Satullo, who has some sympathy for the residents, echoes that call:

Chinatown, like Fishtown and Pennsport before it, has to decide. Either go for the long shot - utter resistance to casinos - or engage cautiously with the devil to limit damage and extract benefits while praying for a late-arriving angel.

And that, 'my friends,' is where this is all headed. Maybe negotiating is the right thing to do, maybe not. I know in East Falls, the Multi-Community Alliance tried to walk a fine line, when they said would negotiate a community benefit agreement (CBA), but that they refused to drop opposition to a casino they didn't want. Trump's answer was to play divide and conquer, and go find a member of the community who would support it. It is not an easy line to walk.

But, before everyone tells Chinatown to just negotiate, I think we all need to ask ourselves what we would do if, after seeing all these backroom deals with the Casino lobby criticized for so long, that we were told to suck it up for the good of the city or the good of another neighborhood? We are not talking about asking a neighborhood to accept its share of just another LULU. We are asking them to accept something they think will destroy what they have worked so hard to create.

So, I won't offer advice to Chinatown. Instead, I will just support the efforts of their residents, whatever they decide, and ask Foxwoods, as they conduct layoffs for the second time in a year....

How do you feel about a nice expedited strip of land at the airport?