Public Hearing Date Set for Surrey Casino
After hundreds of supporters of a new casino in Surrey, Canada packed city council chambers this week, a public hearing date was set for January 14th, 2012.
The people who attended the city hall council meeting this week were not allowed to speak, but their message was heard loud and clear through buttons and t-shirts declaring their support, as well as stickers explaining the advantages of constructing the $100 million casino and entertainment complex.
If the casino is approved, it will be run by Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd. This group sent two bus loads of staff and supporters to the Surrey city hall this week, who wore shirts stating: "More Entertainment = Strong Surrey".
The supporters overshadowed a few dozen opponents of the idea, mostly residents of the area who wore buttons with the word casino with a line drawn through.
8-1 Vote on Public Hearing
City Council voted on Monday eight to one to forward the proposal to a public meeting on January 14th, 2013. The only opponent of the public hearing idea was Councillor Marvin Hunt.
The council vote will be held on January 15th where councilors will determine whether or not the Surrey site will be recommended to the BC Lottery Corporation for a gaming license.
Most of the councilors said that they were "delighted" with the turnout at the city hall meeting, and looked forward to hearing what they had to say at the public hearing next month.
If approved, the new Surrey casino will be located near Highway 99 and 168th street, and will feature an 800 seat theater, a 4 star hotel, 600 slot machines and gaming tables.
In total, the new Canadian land casino will boast 60,000 square feet of floor area.
Opposition to Surrey Casino
Opponents fear that crime may creep into the area due to the construction of the new casino, but a spokeswoman for Gateway said that these concerns are being addressed and reports have shown that this is needless fear.
"Crime just hasn't become a problem for the communities that have facilities such as this right now," said Tanya Gabara.
In the meantime, the mayor has assured opponents that council will be keeping an open mind as the decision heads for a public hearing next month.
"It's coming at it from a very balanced perspective, getting all of the information so we can make a really informed decision," said Mayor Dianne Watts about the Surrey casino public hearing date. "So this isn't a done deal by any stretch. Absolutely not."
