4 NEWS Daily business news at www.biv.

com Business in Vancouver February 22–28, 2011

Casino critics want more city consultation

BC Lottery Corp. numbers show that public money funds are being rolled into casino capital investments
By Glen Korstrom •approving changes to despite last week’s Justason B.C.’s former NDP gov-
allow for construction of Market Intelligence poll, ernment devised the system

V ancouver city council

is again trying to ram
through a major decision
taller buildings in the city.
“I don’t think the cit-
izens of Vancouver have
which found 51% of Vancou-
ver residents oppose it and
31% support it.
in 1997.
About $0.70 out of each
dollar that gamblers lose at
that will radically influence really had a good discussion Many opponents aim to B.C. casinos:
the city’s evolution without about where we’re going,” find support by pointing to •pays local governments in
much public consultation, said Bing Thom Architects what they describe as pub- the form of commissions;
according to activists who principal Bing Thom, who lic money being funnelled •pays BCLC operating costs;
oppose Paragon Gaming has designed iconic Metro into paying 40% of the and
Corp.’s proposal to build Vancouver structures such capital costs for the privately •funds a wide array of
the largest casino in West- as Surrey’s Central City run casinos. prov incia l government
ern Canada adjacent to BC complex, Richmond’s Aber- programs.
Place Stadium. deen Centre and Vancou- No sure bets: Paragon Gaming’s proposed casino attached to BC “What is brilliant about The remaining $0.30 of
Critics have previous- ver’s Chan Centre. Place that dollar is returned to the
ly attacked Mayor Gregor City council scheduled this particular commission casino operators.
Robertson and his council its first public meeting on want the Edgewater Casino decision with regard to an The facility development
for failing to adequately con- the proposed casino for to expand to 150 game tables existing facility.” structure is that it has commissions, which must be
sult the public prior to: February 21. from 75 and to 1,500 slots Robertson estimated spent on capital costs, make
•spending more than $4 Thom wants the city to from 520. The project also the city’s cost to hold a ref- built in the requirement up about $0.05 of the $0.30.
million to build separated hold a referendum to dis- involves two hotels with a erendum would be around Said Graydon: “What
bike lanes; and cover whether residents total of 647 suites as well as $1 million. He added in an for capital spending” is brilliant about this par-
a cabaret and plenty of retail email that “decisions on ticular commission struc-
– Michael Graydon,
and meeting space. slots at Hastings Park and ture is that it has built in the
CEO,
Others echo his call, Edgewater were made by city requirement for capital
BCLC
but not Michael Graydon, council following extensive spending both from a de-
British Columbia Lottery public hearings, not by refer- velopment as well as from
Corp.’s (BCLC) president endum. We’re about to start But Graydon said that’s a continuing-improvements
Specialists in Sage Accpac Mining Solutions and CEO. the public hearing process fea r monger i ng a nd a perspective to ensure that
“Everyone seems to be for the Edgewater Casino manipulation of the facts. the quality of casinos that
Call 604.291.6311 using referenda as a solution
for all the decisions that need
relocation/expansion and
there will be plenty of oppor-
He pointed out that the
“public money,” which anti-
are developed meet what the
customer need is.”
or visit our website
to be taken either provincial- tunity for people to give us gambling activists point to,
www.caronbusiness/mining ly or municipally,” he told their opinion over the next is really facility development (See “Too many casino ques-
Business in Vancouver. several weeks.” commissions that the BCLC tions without answers” –
“This isn’t a fundamen- Graydon believes the ca- provides to casino operators Peter Ladner’s At Large col-
Hong Kong tal decision with regards to sino expansion proposal based on how much revenue umn, page 36.) •
made-to-measure the gaming. It’s more of a would pass in a referendum, the facilities generate. gkorstrom@biv.com

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