Fallout between titans Fumo and Sprague means trouble for Philly casino fight

Buried deep within the pages of this month's issue of Philadelphia Magazine is arguably the most in-depth and illuminating dissection of the high-profile falling out between state Sen. Vince Fumo (D-Philadelphia) and powerful lawyer Dick Sprague.

Headlined "The Feud," the article by Rober Huber delves deep into the long-standing relationship between the two titans, which apparently began to break down, in part, because of disputes over legal bills Fumo owed Sprague for fighting his infamous corruption indictment.

Less enlightening than old revelations about their relationship are the ways in which the spat between the two is fueling perhaps the largest policy issue in the city: a fight over placing slot parlors on the Delaware River waterfront.

Fumo wrote the 2004 law allowing casinos in the state, and Sprague's children own a stake in the casino planned for the northern end of the waterfront. But now that they're no longer friends, Fumo is trying to quash Sprague's casino.

"The current casino debate isn't about a changing city," Hubert writes. "No, it's really about the pissing match between Dick Sprague and Vince Fumo."