Ontario Municipalities Consider Making Casino Bids
With Toronto now officially out of the race to build a new casino in the GTA area, other municipalities are mulling the idea of jumping into the game.
Councils for Markham and Vaughan in Ontario met separately this week to discuss ways to generate support for the idea to build a giant entertainment, gambling and convention complex in their communities.
The move has been seen as a threat by Woodbine Race track in Etobicoke which believes that having a new casino in one of these municipalities north of Toronto could seriously affect its gambling business.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. is hoping to expand the province's gaming industry with a casino that will generate more tax revenue and boost the economy.
Markham Voted Against Casino Last Year
The Markham council took a vote on the idea of a casino last year and narrowly voted against it. This week, the council will consider a motion to become a host city, subject to public consultation and a staff report. Recommendations will be made on hosting new casino in Markham by September this year.
Markham councillor Jim Jones said: "The decision before us represents an opportunity to build a better Markham. I'm talking about city building."
He said that a new mega casino and hotel complex fits Markham's vision to become a leading tourist destination.
A public session to discuss a recent report which examined the economic advantages of a casino in Vaughan will be held, it was decided this week.
Woodbine Slots Strike Averted
With tensions rising at Woodbine due to fears of the OLG's privatization plans and now the threat of a new Ontario casino bids by nearby Markham or Vaughan, workers threatened to strike at the OLG Slots at Woodbine on Monday.
Only after union officials managed to hammer out a tentative agreement at the last minute was a strike averted.
The union has claimed that employees wanted to strike for improved job security, pay increases and reassurance that the OLG's plans to privatize slot operations and bring new casinos to the region would not affect them.
"The OLG has been promoting casinos, stating that they provide good jobs, while the reality is that most of the work provided is part time and precarious," said the union.
