Woodbine casino ‘tough news’
Torontonians will have to go no further than Highway 427 and Rexdale Road to play blackjack
A world-class casino at Woodbine Racetrack in north Etobicoke is bad news for Niagara Falls.
“But, you know, thank God we have the falls here, the wine country, and all kinds of great, other attractions and amenities that make people from Toronto want to get out of Toronto, and come and enjoy a different atmosphere,” said Niagara Falls Tourism Chairman Wayne Thomson.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. announced Tuesday the winner of a competitive bidding process to take over the running of OLG Slots at Woodbine Racetrack.
The winning bidder, Ontario Gaming GTA, a partnership of Great Canadian Gaming Corp. and Brookfield Business Partners, will also operate OLG Slots at Ajax Downs and Great Blue Heron Casino on Scugog Island.
The announcement is expected to clear the way for a casino in Toronto.
Thomson said “it was only a matter of time” before a casino was announced for Canada’s largest city.
“I believe the people of Toronto did not want it in the downtown area, which would have created a black hole, and all the existing businesses would have suffered as a result of that … so that’s why it was spun out to the race track,” he said.
“It’s going to be a major casino, a major entertainment centre, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you end up with a convention centre and retail area all combined with the same development.”
Thomson said while the development in the Greater Toronto Area will impact the casinos in Niagara Falls, the Honeymoon Capital will soon benefit from a new 5,000-seat entertainment theatre, and is currently benefitting from a convention centre that is “growing by the day.” “We’re doing exceptionally well with the new management and operation over there,” he said.
“We have all of the people — Niagara Falls Tourism, the Winter Festival of Lights, the BIAs, the convention centre — all in the same place, working together, collectively and collaboratively. We’re going to have competition, it’s going to have an impact, absolutely, but we have to fight for bigger and better things with our casinos.”
For many years, Toronto tourists who wanted to play blackjack, poker, roulette or craps had to go down the QEW to Niagara, or up Hwy. 400 — north of Orillia — to Casino Rama.
With Tuesday’s announcement, they’ll have to go no further than Hwy. 427 and Rexdale Road in just a couple of years.
The OLG said Tuesday it expects the winning partnership will take over day-to-day operations in early 2018.
Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said Tuesday’s announcement is another example of why local, regional and provincial officials continue to call on the province to terminate the existing request for pre-qualification process to find new operators for Fallsview Casino and Casino Niagara, and for a new one to be issued.
“This is why we’ve been fighting so hard to get the RFPQ changed to represent economic development, investment, job retention and creation, as the No. 1 drivers, rather than upfront money to the province,” he said.
“That’s what we’ve been saying all along, so that we’re not going to be a net loser with the growth of gaming in the GTA.”
Diodati said he has also been “pushing aggressively” for separate management for both casinos in Niagara Falls.
“At least that would make them both more competitive, both with each other, and with outside casinos.”
He said that’s a message that has been “regularly” delivered to Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa and the provincial government at Queen’s Park.
“This is great, they’re investing in the theatre, something that should have been done 10 years ago, but at least it’s getting done, which is great, we’re grateful for it. But we need a properly written RFPQ that addresses the concerns and the original mandate that brought gaming to Ontario. We don’t want to see redistribution of jobs from Niagara to the GTA. We want to see a net gain where it’s win-win.”
Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates echoed the same concerns and opinions as Diodati about the RFPQ and separate operators.
He said the Woodbine announcement came as no surprise, but “obviously there’s some concerns” as “70 per cent of the business for the Niagara casinos today come from the GTA.”
Gates said although Tuesday’s announcement was “tough news for us” in Niagara Falls, the city will benefit from a new 5,000-seat entertainment complex.
“It will help highlight our casino as a world-class destination.”
He said it’s also important to highlight the “importance” of using local workers for the theatre construction.
“This would help put our skilled trades (people) back to work. It would help get some young people into apprentices.” rspiteri@postmedia.com Twitter: @RaySpiteri — with files from Postmedia Network