Progressive Conservatives Give Opinion on Toronto Casino
January 30 – Opposition to plans for a new casino to be built in Toronto, Canada is growing, with the leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative party giving his opinion on the matter recently.
Tim Hudak said that he had "considerable concern" for the idea to construct a new casino in Toronto, saying that he feared that such a venture could "cannabalize" existing facilities.
Hudak particularly feared for the two government run casinos in the Niagara Falls area, and wondered how their profits would be affected by another casino.
Asked by journalists how he believed a new Toronto casino would affect tourism in Niagara, Hudak said that he would urge the provincial government to overhaul the Ontario Lottery Gaming Corporation.
"If I were in the Premier's chair this is what I would do - before I would consider any new initiatives to get more money from people, is to get your own house in order," he said.
"The OLGC has a bloated administration that is costing us too much money, so have you fixed your own problem? Do you have existing facilities running like businesses or are they running like government bureaucracies?" he asked.
Niagara Casinos Could be Affected by New Venture
A spokesman for the Fallsview Casino, Greg Medulun, echoed the Conservatives' opinion on the Toronto casino, saying that he believed that competition from a high profile casino in Toronto could negatively affect Niagara Casinos, including the loss of jobs.
The two local casinos employ around 4,500 people, making them the second largest employer in the area.
In recent years, visitors from the United States have been crossing the border less and less, as a result of tighter border restrictions and the increasing number of casino facilities in neighboring states. Up until now, the two Niagara casinos have managed to counter declining numbers by marketing their services to the Greater Toronto Area. However, a new casino in Toronto would no doubt add unnecessary competition.
"While we don't have any of the details of the OLG's proposal to have a casino in Toronto, such a facility would likely have an immediate and lasting effect on our two casino properties in Niagara Falls," said Medulun. "The Greater Toronto Area represents the largest geographical market for Niagara casinos, with more than 30% of our total revenue."
"Like any business, a loss of significant revenue would presumably require a readjustment of staffing levels," he warned. "Without any details on the proposed facility, it's difficult to estimate."
