Almost a century and a half after President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, a proposed casino threatens Gettysburg's legacy and future.

Jim Lighthizer is president of the Civil War Preservation Trust. Tom Kiernan is president of the National Parks Conservation Association. Richard Moe is president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Their organizations have joined to form the Stop the Gettysburg Slots Coalition (www.stopthegettysburgslots.org).

On Nov. 19, 1863, Lincoln immortalized the more than 50,000 soldiers who were killed or wounded in the battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest battle in the war to preserve the Union. He said, "We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract." Imagine what Lincoln would think of the latest battle raging over this hallowed ground.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is considering a highly controversial application to build a casino within cannon range of Gettysburg National Military Park. For history lovers and local residents alike, locating a slots parlor so close to Cemetery Ridge and this historic family-friendly town seems unthinkable. But the applicants not only are serious, they have committed hundreds of thousands of dollars to winning this license.

To ensure the success of this application, the investors at Chance Enterprises have touted unsubstantiated projections that claim hundreds of new jobs and thousands of new tourist dollars will accrue if gambling is brought to town. The facts belie Chance's claims.

Chance's application repeatedly overestimates the number of visitors its slots parlor would attract -- a key figure on which it bases its revenue projections. Chance predicts at least a half-million more overnight visitors annually, but only mega casinos in Las Vegas or Atlantic City draw this number of gamblers. Reputable studies conducted by the gambling industry indicate much smaller numbers for a casino of this size, which would drastically reduce the number of projected jobs created and community revenue generated.

The casino also would damage the existing heritage tourism and economic infrastructure of the community. Common sense tells us that casinos bring with them an atmosphere that could drive away heritage travelers. Families with young children visit Gettysburg for its wholesome, historic, family-friendly environment, and parents feel comfortable sending their children to Gettysburg College for many of the same reasons.

Chance also fails to recognize that Gettysburg already has a very low unemployment rate, due in large part to its strong economic engine, Gettysburg National Military Park. According to the National Park Service, in fiscal year 2005 Gettysburg National Military Park drew approximately $102 million to the region, with visitor expenditures supporting 2,431 full-time job equivalents in the area surrounding the park. Heritage tourists like those at Gettysburg tend to spend more money per visit than other tourists, on average.

Furthermore, Chance fails to address the immense damage a casino would inflict on existing businesses in Gettysburg and throughout Adams County. The investors' proposal and supplementary documents totally ignore the inevitable shift of revenue from locally run stores, restaurants and hotels to the casino, which is largely owned by outside investors. Estimates place this diverted income at approximately $60 million per year -- a sizable chunk of the total retail- and service-sector spending in small, chiefly rural Adams County.

Time and again Pennsylvanians have voiced their strong belief that Gettysburg is not an appropriate location for a casino. A statewide poll conducted in October 2006 showed that 64 percent of state residents opposed the proposal. In Central Pennsylvania, where the casino would directly and adversely affect lives and businesses, that figure was 73 percent. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell has repeatedly stated his opposition to the plan, as well, saying on the Pennsylvania Cable Network, "I wouldn't want it anywhere close to the historic area of Gettysburg."

Visitors to Gettysburg have an unsurpassed opportunity to follow in the footsteps of America's heroes. Whether you visit Gettysburg frequently or have only learned about the events of 1863 in history class, you know there is only one Gettysburg.

As the Gaming Control Board considers Chance Enterprises' application, we urge each member to carefully examine its many oversights, unanswered questions, exaggerations and unsubstantiated claims, and then deny this proposal that could take away the historic charm that makes Gettysburg a national treasure.