FORMER ALLEGHENY COUNTY COMMISSIONER SAYS LICENSE "NOT A BOONDOGGLE" PITTSBURGH - The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has awarded former Allegheny County Commissioner Jim Roddey's firm, New Century Entertainment, a license to serve as slot machine fruit inspector for the Commonwealth's soon-to-be-launched gaming parlors. Pennsylvania will be the only state in the nation with such fruit inspectors.
Roddey lashed out at critics who claim the law creating the licenses is a boondoggle for well-connected Pennsylvanians that adds no value to the gaming process. "They couldn't be any more wrong," Roddey said. "When I look at a slot machine, I see lemons, strawberries and oranges. And if I see three of the same fruit in a row, I won't be needing this job," he joked. "But the point is, it's fruit, no matter how you slice it. And fruit needs to be inspected."
Roddey concedes that the Gaming Control Board was impressed by the fact that his firm has several minority representatives who will perform day-to-day fruit inspections. "That's right," Roddey said. "We have three or four fruits on staff. Who better to inspect fruit than an actual fruit?"
Roddey is spearheading efforts to stave off legislation to terminate the fruit inspector licenses. "OK, I concede the whole thing's a boondoggle," he sighed. "But the minute some slot machine sneaks into the Commonwealth carrying bacterial fruit blotch or black rot, don't come crying to me if you do away with the licenses."
