"I'm confident Georgian Downs is one of the best located sites (for a casino) anywhere other than a metropolitan Toronto area. It's not in a residential zone, it's an easy access (site) that doesn't interfere with a business of any other kind. They have a facility that was built for gaming and horse racing."
Innisfil Mayor Barb Baguley has thrown her full support behind Georgian Downs, stating that her office is doing everything in its power to help make the Great Canadian Gaming Corp.'s bid to bring casino expansion to the five-eighths mile racetrack the best it can be.
"We are working with Great Canadian Gaming to help them with zoning, or anything they might want to do, to have a better proposal (for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation)," Baguley has been quoted as saying in an article by The Innisfil Scope.
In addition to pointing out Georgian's advantageous location, Baguley also cited GCGC's track record as being a responsible and effective gaming operator. "Great Canadian has information others don't just by virtue of having operated (Georgian Downs for so long). They're players, too," she said.
The Innisfil Scope article also states that the neighbouring City of Barrie has apparently switched its position in regard to bringing expanded gaming into its borders. The report states that Barrie's city council last week decided that it will undergo a public consultation process in order to gauge the public on the topic of casino expansion in the city.
Innisfil and Barrie are each located within the same OLG gaming zone, therefore if Barrie ultimately lands a casino, the slots could then be pulled from Georgian.
Commenting on how Greater Toronto Area casino expansion will affect Innisfil and other municipalities, Baguley said that "OLG officials are really waiting to land on where the GTA casino might go, in order to be fair to the other bidders," and that "The GTA proposal seems to be controlling a lot of the other satellite (sites) around it."
(With files from The Innisfil Scope)