The continued discussion on the City of Ottawa’s plan to open an additional gaming facility in the Nation’s Capital came to a conclusion early yesterday morning when the Province of Ontario rejected Mayor Jim Watson’s proposal, and suggested instead to expand the gaming facility at Rideau Carleton Raceway. The news was announced right before the Finance and Economic Development Committee (FEDCO) meeting was scheduled to begin, and shifted the direction of the debate and public forum substantially.
Residents of Ottawa were invited to take the floor to voice their concerns, support, and opinions regarding the issue, but the Province’s response to the two-casino plan pleased the majority of speakers, who were largely worried that a second gaming facility in Ottawa would increase gambling addiction and lead to socio-economic consequences. Speakers representing the Amethyst Women’s Addiction Centre, Rideauwood Addiction Services, Centretown Community Health Centre, Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, to name a few, all mirrored each other’s concerns when presenting the fact that accessible gaming facilities inevitability lead to greater gambling problems and addiction. A speaker for the Centretown Community Health Centre further emphasized this argument by stating that 13 000 Ottawa residents suffer from a sort of gambling problem, and that a second gaming facility was “not the kind of city” he wanted. While the Province’s decision to forgo two casinos was met with a sigh of relief from the concerned speakers, the continuing possibility of expanding Rideau Carleton Raceway in adding 21 gaming tables didn’t completely erase the fears of mental health and addiction specialists who are already overwhelmed by the growing demand of their services and stagnant resources.
A Greely resident and small business owner was also vocal about her opposition to the idea, and urged the city to “look at more innovative proposals” in order to stimulate the city’s economy, and deemed an additional casino a “lazy person’s answer to economic development.” John MacMillan, from Casino Choice Ottawa, emphasized that a second location would have the “opposite effect” in regards to economic development, as the new casino could become a “one-stop” destination for patrons, instead of contributing to various local, and small businesses. MacMillan further supported the Province’s decision by adding that the “expansion of Rideau Carleton Raceway” would not “negatively affect local businesses.”
Representatives of the Rideau Carleton Raceway were also happy about the Province’s ruling, but for obviously different reasons. The decision that the RCR would remain the only gaming facility in Ottawa was met with great enthusiasm from the representatives, who urged the council to vote in favor of the expansion of their facility. However, when asked if the RCR was prepared to work with the City in complying with the 10 recommendations made by the Ottawa Board of Health last week, the response was vague and inconclusive. Rather, the speakers shifted the focus on the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s responsibility to put forward these recommendations.
Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk also took the floor to express how he has been working on a casino project for 7 years, and wants to build a casino at the Canadian Tire Centre in order to “compete with Casino of Lac Lemay.” With the help of a powerpoint presentation showcasing the project, Melnyk proposed a “world-class gaming, sports, and entertainment facility” that would become a premium “destination”. Melnyk claimed that “no other development would help fill the stadium night after night” more than a casino, and that the Senators desperately needed a casino to compete with other hockey teams. When questioned by councilors regarding an alternate plan if his casino project was nixed, Melnyk responded that there is “no plan C”. Despite the ongoing support for the expansion of Rideau Carleton Raceway throughout the meeting, Melnyk asked for a chance to compete and make a bid for the Canadian Tire Centre as Ottawa’s only gaming facility.
After a 10 to 1 vote in favor of the expansion of Rideau Carleton Raceway, it doesn’t look like a casino will be part of the Ottawa Senators’ experience. After months of speculation, the full council will vote on Wednesday and finally wrap up the debate that has had Ottawa divided since the beginning.
