Proposal for Two Ottawa Casino Licenses
The City of Ottawa recently decided that it would prefer to award the casino license to the Rideau-Carleton Raceway, rather than to the Ottawa Senators, owned by Eugene Melnyk. Melnyk felt that this decision had been made unjustly, and a new proposal has now been put forward.
Two Ottawa Casino Licenses May be Awarded
A solution may have been found to the problem of the Ottawa casino license issue. It has been proposed that a motion will be presented to the city council next week. The motion will be asking the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation to create an additional casino zone. Essentially, there would be two zones that would each allow one casino within its zone. At this time, the Lottery and Gaming Corporation only allows one casino in the single zone.
Councillor Rick Chiarelli said: "A motion will come forward and it's, I think, a compromise that any reasonable person on either side of this issue should be happy with." He further commented: "I think everyone will find that it accomplishes what they need."
The possibility of two Ottawa casino licenses would mean that Melnyk and the Ottawa Senators can open a casino in one zone, and the Rideau Carleton Raceway would be in its personal micro-zone, where the Raceway could continue to offer the slots that it currently has, and would be able to add the 21 gaming tables that have been already been proposed.
The zone adjustment would allow these two casino zones that would both be located in the area that is currently demarcated as Zone E4. Zone E4 is made up of the City of Ottawa, and the City of Clarence-Rockland.
No Assurance for Melnyk Casino
Councillor Chiarelli has suggested the motion as a compromise. While the motion, if it is passed, will divide the city into two zones, allowing one casino in each zone, there would still be competition to choose a casino operator, and to make some other decisions.
Chiarelli said: "The rest of the city would become a second zone, which could hold an open competition to determine if there would be a casino in it and if so, where it would be." He then explained that the zones "would have a competition to determine who the operator would be."
The compromise would be in line with the rules of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. For those concerned about the effect on the Raceway, the 1,000 people that are currently employed there would have their jobs protected.
