Deal saves Kawartha Downs
Cavan Monaghan mayor phoned Premier Doug Ford
Kawartha Downs isn’t about to close after all: The racetrack and slot-machine facility in Fraserville has accepted an offer from the Ontario government to keep it open.
The Downs came to an agreement with the Ontario government late Saturday, after an offer from Queen’s Park was previously turned down.
The Examiner reported Friday that the provincial government had offered to allow the Downs to keep 150 of its nearly 500 slot machines (otherwise the slots were to all be removed, and no further horse-racing dates have been scheduled - essentially leaving the business decimated).
On Friday, Kawartha Downs general manager Orazio Valente said the offer was turned down because 150 slots wouldn’t bring in enough foot traffic to pay the bills.
Unless they had 250 slots, he said, they would be financially sunk, and 30 food and beverage workers would lose their jobs.
But on Sunday, Valente confirmed the Downs had arrived at an agreement with the province and the track will remain open.
He wouldn’t say whether the offer was enhanced, however; he said he’s bound by a non-disclosure agreement.
“But we’re certainly happy with the turn of events,” he said.
Meanwhile The Examiner also learned on Sunday that some employees from the Downs received phone calls this weekend to advise that their jobs have already been saved.
“It’s absolutely incredible news,” said Cavan Monaghan Mayor Scott McFadden in an interview Sunday. “It’s fantastic - the jobs have been saved.”
The Downs was facing closure because the last scheduled horse races took palce in September and the slots were all expected removed within days, many destined for the soon-to-open Shorelines Casino Peterborough.
It wasn’t clear exactly how long the Down had left, however: that was contingent on the opening date of Peterborough’s casino, which hasn’t yet been announced.
The news was also confirmed in writing on Sunday by Labour Minister Laurie Scott, whose riding includes Fraserville.
Although Scott wasn’t available for interview on Sunday, she posted to Facebook that the Downs was saved.
“Yesterday I shared that de-
spite our government’s best efforts, Kawartha Downs did not accept a deal to keep horse racing going in our community,” reads the post.
“I am pleased to report that continued, pointed conversations have led to Kawartha Downs agreeing to the deal offered. I take this issue very seriously and fought hard to make sure there is a resolve after the former liberal government decimated the horse industry. Premier Doug Ford has delivered on another campaign promise in saving horse racing in Ontario.”
McFadden said he also took the issue seriously: During the campaign leading up to the provincial election on June 7, he contacted all leaders, asking them to save horseracing in Ontario and to save the Downs.
He said Liberal leader (and former Ontairo Premier) Kathleen Wynne didn’t get back to him, and neither did NDP leader Andrea Horwath.
But Doug Ford – not yet elected premier of Ontario – called back and promised to do something to save horse racing. Ford also gave McFadden his personal cellphone number.
On Friday, McFadden called while Premier Ford was in Alberta; Ford called him back on Sunday to confirm that he’d lived up to his promise.
“He (Ford) was happy they were able to come through. Promise made, promise kept,” McFadden said. “You know what? He (Ford) was there for rural Ontario.”
Valente gave McFadden credit for working toward a solution and appealing to the premier.
“Yes, Mayor McFadden has been a great resource to me personally through this process,” Valente said. “We’re excited for the future of the racetrack.”
It was still unclear on Sunday exactly when the new Shorelines Casino Peterborough will open.
Construction began on the building on Crawford Dr. at The Parkway a bit more than a year ago, and it was expected to open sometime this fall.
The operator, Great Canadian Gaming Corp., hasn’t announced an opening date yet, but their website says news will come soon.