Christmas showed up just a bit early for opponents of a casino proposed to be built one mile away from Gettysburg National Military Park as the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today rejected the 3,000-slot machine project.
    James Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Preservation Trust, applauded the board's decision.
    "This is a great day for Gettysburg and for preservationists throughout the nation. By not allowing gambling to encroach on this famous town and battlefield, Pennsylvania has sent a clear message that it cares deeply for its historic treasures," he said. "It is no exaggeration to say that this is the most significant battlefield preservation victory since the defeat of Disney's proposed theme park at Manassas in the early 1990s."
    While the board's decision was a victory for the preservation group, Lighthizer says much more work remains to be done to protect Gettysburg.
    "I sincerely hope this vote will serve to motivate preservationists to redouble their efforts to save the remainder of the Gettysburg Battlefield before it is lost forever," he said. "The casino proposal itself was merely a symptom of a larger development problem plaguing Gettysburg and many other Civil War Battlefield communities."
    At the National Parks Conservation Association, Cinda Waldbueser said the Gaming Board's members "clearly understand that a casino would be at odds with the family-friendly atmosphere of the town and with the sacred nature of this place of sacrifice and service for our country."