The ruins of the Bethlehem Steel plant in Pennsylvania are of great interest to many history buffs. The plant is embedded in U.S. history, having had a role in everything from arming U.S. warships, to providing materials for some of the countries best architectural achievements.
A deal for an $800 million casino complex on the site may give history fans the chance to learn the story of one of America's most important industrial companies.
The new slot machines casino, to be opened by the Las Vegas Sands Corp., will open it's doors early in 2009, and it is hoped that the financial boost from the casino will help to pay for expensive maintenance work on the site so that the historic buildings can be opened for public display.
Sands has already saved 20 buildings from demolition, and many people are now petitioning for public access. ''It's a terrific opportunity,'' said history professor Howard Gillette from Rutgers University in New Jersey. ''Bethlehem tells the whole story of industrialization in America, and de-industrialization.''
Sands have expressed support for the idea of telling the Bethlehem Steel plant's story. They have already dedicated one of the oldest buildings – the Stock House, which dates back to around 1860, to the city for use as a visitor's center.
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