TORONTO – Mayor Rob Ford reiterated his support for a casino Monday afternoon saying a gaming complex could help Toronto be a leading convention destination in North America while generating thousands of new jobs.
The mayor’s restated support comes as the city gets ready to debate the possibility of building a casino within city limits.
City Manager Joe Pennachetti released a report on the matter Monday morning in which he suggested a casino would be feasible if the city received a special deal from the province on hosting fees.
A mass of new conference space would be one of the most economically beneficial aspects of a casino, the city manager’s report read.
Ford noted that despite being the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto ranks 33rd as a convention destination.
“More spending means more taxes collected by the province and a boost to our overall economy,” Ford said noting that the hosting fees could go towards building rapid transit in Toronto.
Ford suggested the city and province could reap the rewards of increased tourism, business and investment in the area as a result of the complex.
“A new gaming and convention complex in Toronto would create 10,000 new, good paying, union jobs,” Ford said. “More people working means more people paying income tax to the province and buying goods and services from Toronto businesses.”
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However, casino opponents claim conference space can be built without the help of a casino developer.
“There’s no need for a casino,” City Councillor and casino opponent Adam Vaughan said.
The city manager’s report is expected to guide city council’s debate on the controversial issue at an upcoming executive committee meeting on April 15.
However it could result in more vitriol from both opponents and supporters as it notes the city might see upwards of $150 million in hosting fees but also suggests the majority of Torontonians are opposed to a casino.
The report looks at benefits and consequences of either a new casino at Exhibition Place or expanding gambling at the current Woodbine Casino and Racetrack.
While the amount of money the city could reap from hosting a casino has varied greatly, the city manager’s report suggests the city could receive up to $150 million a year in hosting fees if the city receives a special deal.
However it’s unclear if the city will receive that special deal.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) was prepared to give the city a deal which would bring more revenues to Toronto’s public coffers than other Ontario cities which host a casino.
But Premier Kathleen Wynne recently asked OLG Chair Paul Godfrey to revise that profit-sharing deal so it would be equitable to all cities in Ontario.
Currently, all cities with a casino receive a fixed percentage of revenue.
If the status quo is kept, the city manager’s report notes Toronto could receive as little as $15 million from a casino but suggests a revised formula should have Toronto receive a special deal.
Related: Full text of Mayor Rob Ford’s open letter defending a casino.
While the report suggests the possibility of increased revenue, it also reveals that a large percentage of Torontonians who responded to public consultations opposed a casino.
Both a telephone poll, conducted by Environics and a public consultation feedback form prepared by the city were used to gauge the public’s opinion.
The Environics poll showed exactly half of those who responded opposed a casino. Forty-two per cent of people in the poll supported a casino.
The feelings of those people who responded to the city’s public consultation were slightly more lopsided with 71.3 per cent of people opposing a new casino.
25.7 per cent of people who responded to public consultations supported the casino.
Ford suggested that whether or not a casino is approved by city council, one will be built close to the city.
“If it’s not in Toronto, it will be right on our border or right across the street,” Ford said. “The fact is if they built a casino on our doorstep, which they will, the province won’t benefit as much and Toronto won’t benefit at all.”
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