The business beat
By Adam Hickman
The race to host the region’s two charity casinos is in the home stretch, and Ottawa city council is still behind the starting gate trying to decide whether to enter.
It appears the winner will be the City of Gloucester, which may win both casinos before the chips are down.
Carnival Hotels and Casinos is committed to Gloucester. Directors of Star of Fortune are also rumored to be seeking a site there.
But while Gloucester is preparing for roulette wheels, Ottawa is spinning its wheels in public consultation. Casino operators have been searching for sites in the region since last September. The City of Ottawa had all winter to gauge public response.
Council is cheating Ottawa business and residents out of the benefits of a casino — particularly a downtown site. The biggest loser may be the charities they aim to help.
A downtown Ottawa casino would be a larger tourist attraction than a suburban casino, raising more funds for the charities they are designed to help.
For years people complained that downtown resembles a ghost-town in the winter, but nothing has changed.
A few weeks ago, Star of Fortune wanted to use a vacant Rideau Street building to open a year-round, state-of-the-art casino, which includes a Second City comedy club. The city rejected the proposal. It’s a shame.
Casinos are huge attractions, employ hundreds and produce positive spinoff effects for local business. It’s an anchor that leads to more development — which Ottawa won’t see because council is caught in a righteous tailspin, catering to militant, moralistic anti-gambling activists.
Council has painted a doomsday picture of what casinos will do to the precious social fabric of its communities. They seem to fear a casino will spawn seedy neighborhoods full of problem gamblers. Well, if the city wants to join this crusade, they’re far too late. Times have changed. Gambling is widely accepted in society as a popular form of entertainment.
Lottery tickets are as popular as ever and are on sale at most corner stores — far more accessible than one regulated casino. Expanding gaming options for the majority of Ontario residents who are responsible gamblers is positive.
The irony is these operators want to come to Ottawa. But these companies won’t wait forever. When Ottawa’s finally ready, they’ll have already moved on to the ready, willing and accommodating suburbs.