Donation caps $2.3 million in total community donations by the casino
The Cordish Companies last week celebrated the second anniversary of its Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia with the announcement of a donation of $750,000 to Rebuild Philadelphia towards the major renovation of Murphy Recreation Center in South Philadelphia. The contribution will allow Rebuild to finish the $4.5 million project scheduled to be completed in the fall.
The celebration marked the second anniversary of the South Philadelphia casino resort, located in the center of the Stadium District within walking distance of all the major Philadelphia professional sports stadiums, with a ceremony marking the donation that will complete the long-awaited recreation center, which will provide state-of-the-art fields for football, soccer and other sports—and will relieve South Philadelphia’s scholastic teams from having to travel to the suburbs due to the lack of proper facilities.
The Cordish Companies’ Principal Jon Cordish, Cordish Gaming Group COO Joe Bilginer, and Live! Philadelphia General Manager Craig Clark were joined by Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, Philadelphia City Councilmembers Kenyatta Johnson and Mark Squilla; Kira Strong, executive director of Rebuild; and Kathryn Ott Lovell, commissioner of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, at a ceremony to announce details of the investment towards a project that will benefit the families and young people of Philadelphia for generations.
The Mummers also were there—the South Philly String-Band paraded through the Live! event center to open the proceedings. (Live! is the title sponsor of the New Year’s Day Mummers Parade.) Completing the casino’s local connection was Live! ambassador and former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron “Jaws” Jaworski, who whipped attendees into a frenzy over the Eagles’ appearance in Super Bowl LVII.
Proposed site improvements at Murphy Recreation Center include a new turf field for football, baseball, softball and soccer, along with new basketball courts, new sidewalks, fencing and landscaping.
“Live! Philadelphia is proud to partner with Rebuild Philadelphia to help bring such a worthwhile project to fruition,” said Billhimer, who hosted the festivities. “Murphy Recreation Center has served as a hub for community gathering for decades in South Philly. As a family-owned business, we can appreciate how important it is for families to have a safe place to come together. They deserve the best and we look forward to going on this transformational journey with them.”
Rebuild Philadelphia is Kenney’s visionary initiative to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Philadelphia neighborhood parks, recreation centers, and libraries. Through these investments, Rebuild will improve 70-plus public spaces, empower and engage communities, and promote diversity and economic opportunity in the design and construction industries.
“The energy in our city is electric right now and today’s celebration fuels even more excitement, especially in South Philadelphia,” Kenney said at the event. “The soon-to-be improved recreation center is a dynamic, accessible hub for children, families, and residents to play and gather. The upgrades make room for new opportunities and connections, and it may even be the home field of the next NFL star. My administration and I are looking forward to seeing the memories that will be made in this space.”
“Rebuild is proud to invest in the improvements at Murphy Recreation Center, and it would not be possible without the generous contribution from Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia,” said Kira Strong, executive director of Rebuild. “Through the combination of city and Rebuild funding, and incredible community partnerships like Live!, we are able to deliver on the Rebuild promise to engage with the community to understand their vision and invest intentionally to deliver a quality resource in their neighborhood.”
Live! Casino & Hotel opened to the public on February 11, 2021, after completing construction during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since opening, the casino has established partnerships with dozens of regional tourism, business and nonprofit organizations. With the Rebuild donation, total contributions to date top more than $2.3 million in cash and in-kind support.
