OLG pushes for a casino in the GTA, downtown councillors push right back
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation wants to open a big ol’ casino in the GTA, which it says will create jobs and spark private investment (and, if Doug Ford has his way, help fund a Sheppard subway). According to OLG chair, Paul Godfrey, the ”world-class gaming centre” could pour billions into the province’s coffers and attract scores of tourists. Not true, says the Toronto Star’s Royson James, who thinks casinos are just a fancy way to take money from the poor and vulnerable to fund services that the middle-class refuse to pay for. Downtown councillors like Adam Vaughan have already shown they’ll fight plans to put a casino in their wards, while the two Dougs (Ford and Holyday) are focused on the potential windfall. We’re bracing for another protracted fight down at city hall—and we might, in the spirit of the matter, place a wager on the outcome. Read the entire story [Toronto Star] »
they have all the buildings that are being closed at Ontario Place. Why not use one of them. It is not changing the dynamics of down town it is enhancing tourists to come check out the core and the other things that are lucky to be kept open.
what we need is not another casino (do we want to be the next Rama or Niagara Falls???) or slot machine depot (we have Woodbine) but rather JAI ALAI!
This would be a perfect addition to Skydome or Ontario Place or anywhere, and would take up less space and attract fewer degenerates. Plus it’s an actual sport and is super-cool like the Miami Vice opening montage.
Would like VLT’s (slots) in Ontario bars and privatize Ontario booze in corner stores!
Wake up Ontario Liberals. We want a fair state not a nanny state.
as someone who has lived and worked in provinces with VLT’s in bars…i say no! keep them in casinos.
it is sad when a bar makes all of their money to stay open from a VLT.
every bar then becomes a dive bar.
i don’t want to defend the lcbo but alberta cannot held as a standout for privatization. stores only carry what sells-top cheap brands. the nice thing about lcbo and vintages is the large selection at every price point in every store.
the grass is always greener until you live on the other side of that fence….
Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary all have casinos. Where’s Toronto’s? Apparently the liberals who run this city love to tell other responsible adults that they are incapable of acting responsible. From the delay of UFC thanks to Dad McGuinty, to a transit plan that just seems will never happen, this city is loosing it’s “world class” image. What happened to the days when Toronto strived to be the best? Toronto has gone from world class accomplishments such as the tallest structure for decades and Skydome with an opening roof, to a city with a 2nd class transit plan, and no real prospect of anything new to come. Oh yea, a pedestrian path to the island airport, yippee, all our problems solved. Bottom line, I’m sick and tired of other people telling me what to do with MY hard-earned money. If I want to go to a Casino and spend a night having some fun, WITH MY MONEY, what business is that of anyone else’s? Of course there will be irresponsible people, but that will exist regardless if a Casino is Toronto or not. Use Ontario place and get some tourists BACK here, or failing that, build it out near the airport. This way the airport, casino, and government can finally get some proper transit built to the airport from the city. Seems too many people who don’t live in this city have too much to say about how it’s run. I’ve had it!