Casinos as neighbors

The Free Press examines the impact casinos have had on their neighborhoods.

The conclusions aren't surprising. Except in Greektown, casino patrons rarely step outside to explore the neighborhood, and even there the impact seems negligible. The only major changes have been cosmetic: new streetscapes and park clean-ups designed to make the transition from the casinos' glamour to the neighborhoods' poverty less jarring for patrons.

The real impact, of course, is on the city's bottom line. So far, the the state and city have collected $2 billion from the casinos. But whether this money ever finds it way back to the neighborhoods is doubtful.