Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey announced this morning (Thursday, Oct. 25) that slot machines will be returning to Sarnia, Ont.’s Hiawatha Horse Park.

According to multiple reports, Bailey made the announcement at the Standardbred facility alongside track owner Jim Henderson.

The track had been home to 450 slot machines before the former Ontario Liberal Government removed them. According to the reports, 150 slots will be reintroduced to the Sarnia facility.

Jim Henderson and Bob Bailey pictured at the Hiawatha Horse Park on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018 announcing that slot machines will return to the track (Images courtesy Colin Gowdy / Blackburn News)

“I know a number of local businesses [close to the track] that were really hurt when the slots left here,” Bailey was quoted as saying, “because Jim had people come here overnight, buy gas, plus a couple of restaraunts that catered to the people before or after the races.”

Bailey was also quoted as saying, “This is a very important economic win for the Sarnia-Lambton community.”

(With files from The London Free Press and Blackburn News)