Fort Erie Economic Development and Tourism Corporation manager Jim Thibert sounded off this week in regard to the province of Ontario's lack of urgency in dealing with issues surrounding Fort Erie Racetrack over the past couple of years.
According to a report by Niagara This Week, Thibert has gone through spurts of proposing, negotiating and waiting in relation to his dealing with the government about Fort Erie's future. He now wants answers.
"The government today has to say 'yes' to racing at the Fort Erie Racetrack," Thibert was quoted as saying Monday. "I am absolutely frigging amazed to hear from the province that they have 'learned so much.' We are two-and-a-half years into the process. What were they doing in the past?"
According to the article, Thibert said the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., the managing body for the province's slots operations, has failed to address the decline of slot revenue because of currency rates and border crossing issues. Not re-negotiating the 10 per cent slot revenue distributed to the horsemen and track owner has contributed to the ailing horse racing industry, he said.
"They can be the ones to face the agriculture industry (if the track closes)," Thibert said. "We have a billionaire willing to invest and he's on hold."
To read the Niagara This Week article in its entirety, click here.
(With files from Niagara This Week)
Why does Thibert keep saying
Why does Thibert keep saying Nordic is willing to invest? They already suspended the project indefinitely a few months ago, regardless of what the government said. I just don't get it.
Nordic's parent company is getting hammered as well thanks to the global recession and they already postponed a project in Vegas where 1.25 billion was spent on acquiring land a year ago that today is worth half that.
Nordic is simply looking for a bailout where they can at least brake even "according to their books." That in itself isn't something I agree with, but I'm accepting to it if it means the survival of the racetrack.