Recently there has been a lot of talk about whether a casino is the right fit for the Hill District. Some believe it is and that the economic benefits are too great to pass up. Others don't want a casino, period.

The Rev. James Simms is chairman of Pittsburgh First and lives in the Hill District (drjamessimms@hotmail.com).

Regardless of your philosophical opinion of gambling, the reality is a casino is coming to Pittsburgh. The question is how we turn this inevitability into a positive community benefit.

For more than 30 years I have dedicated my life to working in both public service and pastoral ministry. I have found both endeavors to be extremely complementary and rewarding. Therefore, I can understand the moral dilemma some face with gambling.

However, I also see a much more serious problem our community faces with poverty, unemployment and lack of opportunities. I believe we need to focus on the moral obligation we have to provide our community with the same economic opportunities that every other community has to offer. We need to look beyond the casino and see the opportunity to put our community back on its feet.

The Pittsburgh First/Isle of Capri plan is more than just a casino -- it's a $1 billion-plus investment in the Hill District. The plan calls for a $450 million gaming entertainment facility, a $350 million mixed-income, mixed-use redevelopment of the Lower Hill and a $290 million multipurpose arena. It will bring 2,500 permanent jobs and 9,000 construction jobs.

The Isle of Capri also has committed to creating and funding the Pittsburgh First Foundation, dedicated specifically to the Hill/Uptown community, with an annual contribution of $1 million, as well as a Hill Entertainment Services District, which will ensure that the quality of life for our residents is not only maintained but also enhanced.

I have been intrigued by the number of groups that claim they speak for the Hill. I don't know where they get their information, but I do know that the residents have spoken and they have made their voices clear. I am proud to say that Pittsburgh First went door to door and spoke with more than 4,000 residents. Of those, more than 3,200 individuals said they support Pittsburgh First and Isle of Capri. That's over 80 percent support.

The people of the Hill support our plan because they know the casino would not be in the middle of their neighborhood, but at its doorstep. And they understand that the synergy among the casino, arena and 28-acre redevelopment with Downtown Pittsburgh will bring jobs and other opportunities that haven't been seen in this community in years.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid that some individuals are out there simply to put fear in the minds of our residents, or as Gov. Ed Rendell put it last week, "the fear of the unknown." They fear that a casino is the sign of the apocalypse. Well, if that's the case, then shouldn't every community in the city and, for that matter, in the commonwealth, be concerned, or is it just the economically depressed communities that need worry?

To those individuals who are opposed to our plan, I must ask two questions: 1) Have you seen how regional gaming was used as a catalyst for redeveloping communities similar to ours? 2) Aren't Hill District residents who want to gamble smart enough to find their way to the South Side or North Shore?

Finally, where is the moral indignation over the continued deterioration of the Hill? Where is the moral indignation over the lack of jobs, lack of opportunity and lack of private investment? I believe that more than $1 billion of private investment on the doorstep of our community will create opportunities and lead the way to a brighter future.