Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association Endorses Mason-Dixon Resort Project

Gettysburg - The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association (GBPA) today announced its
support of the proposed Mason-Dixon Resort project.

The GBPA is the oldest Civil War preservation group in the nation. Since its inception 50
years ago, the land the GBPA has secured over the years now constitutes one-third of the
present day Gettysburg National Military Park, a park visited by nearly two million visitors a
year.

Brendan Synnamon, GBPA president, said the group’s board of directors initially
determined to take no position on the project last January but, after months of learning project
details, voted to support it.

“The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association would not support a commercial
project that would use or impinge upon the battlefield. This has been a longstanding
Association policy and this has not changed,” Synnamon said.

“In this case, the Eisenhower Conference Center, located well south of the Battlefield
and which would be converted into the Mason-Dixon Resort, already exists as a commercial
facility and the resort would not go beyond its already existing boundaries. This is a far
different circumstance than taking open, undeveloped space near the battlefield and building
all new structures. The existing Eisenhower Conference Center has never interfered with nor
detracted from the Gettysburg Battlefield and its reuse as the Mason-Dixon Resort likewise will
not interfere nor detract from the Gettysburg Battlefield,” Synnamon stated.

“Our primary mission and focus are on preservation," asserted Synnamon. “We find,
after very thorough review, that the proposed Mason-Dixon Resort project does not represent a
preservation issue. The property site under discussion played no significant role in the three-
day engagement.”

“The Board of Directors of the GBPA regard the proposed project as a local issue. The
board is aware that the economy of the Gettysburg area and Adams County is hurting. We need
jobs. We need more private investment. We could use additional visitation. The Mason-Dixon
Resort offers all these things and would do so without one square inch of battlefield or nearby
undeveloped open space being developed,” Synnamon said.

He added: “A stronger local economy is helpful to the cause of preservation.
Preservation does not exist in a vacuum. Our local preservation work cannot thrive absent a
local economy that helps induce and support it.”

“What is more, the proposed project is not on the scale and scope of what exists at large
casinos. The Mason-Dixon Resort would have no more than 600 slot machines and 50 table
games, which is considerably smaller than attractions at the large casinos.”

Synnamon said “It is the GBPA board’s belief that the Resort will draw more people to
visit the Gettysburg area and encourage them to stay longer because there will be more to see
and do here, not only with the resort but with the non-gaming components of the resort and the
surrounding region from Biglerville south to the Mason-Dixon Line, and from Cashtown east to
Wrightsville.

“In addition to the direct positive impact on jobs, the added visitors and visitor hours
the resort will encourage will also bring in new tax and other revenues to the local communities
and county.”

On the question of whether the proposed project would affect heritage tourism, the
GBPA Board strongly believes the Gettysburg Battlefield has a unique position among all Civil
War-related sites. It is considered the place where the tide of the war changed. It is considered
the most significant battle of the War, and led to President Lincoln’s defining the Union cause in
honoring the dead at Gettysburg.

“Our heritage-based tourism exists because of this and this does not change,” added
Synnamon. “The battlefield, this hallowed ground, will always be here, and so
should economically sound communities around it .” Synnamon stated.