After years and years of waiting for a failed racino dream to become a reality in Belleville, Ont., City Council has stated that it wants to be a partner within the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.'s controversial gaming modernization plan.
As reported by The Belleville Intelligencer, there has only been one City Councillor to come forth and state that he is not interested in full-fledged casino gaming coming to Belleville without serious analysis by the city beforehand.
“I believe endorsing a casino for Belleville is a step backward,” Councillor Jodie Jenkins was quoted as saying. “There’s a belief that casinos will generate large economic spinoffs for municipalities in the form of money coming back to them. This is not a reality. A casino removes a large financial sum from the local community. Money that would have been spent in our community will now be spent at the casino.”
The article states that Jenkins was the only Councillor that voted against the municipality pursuing bringing gaming expansion to the city. In turn, Jenkins said that the people of Belleville need to have their voices heard.
“The last public meetings held on this issue in Belleville? November 2002," Jenkins was quoted as saying. "That’s almost 10 years ago. That data is dated and we need to gain a new temperature of what our citizens believe about this issue.”
(With files from The Belleville Intelligencer)
An interesting observation
An interesting observation Bobbi Morley.
For the past several years the Municipal Councils have said nothing about the money they are losing by not having live racing and their slot money portion. Now all of a sudden when horse racing is not going to be involved they are gung- ho to have a Casino. Do they not realize these Casinos will be ran by pwerful US Corporations and at best municipalities will get Crumbs only. Those councillors should be brought to task for their mismanagement of a golden opportunity to share in the slot programme financial benefits that other municipalities in Ontario have benefited from. If I were a tax payer in those municipalities I would be asking why nothing was done over the past several years to gain some of that slot revenue monies and yet now they are right on for having a Casino and Crumbs. Did someone at the top know what the Provincial Government has possibly had in mind for the past several years. Some of these moves that are now coming to light adds credence to the need for an in depth Judicial Investigation into this rather sudden Bad for Ontario Tax Payers plan that this Liberal Government is bent on giving us. One has to wonder Who All Are Benefiting From This Liberal Plan?
Frank Lester
Doubtful that the City of
Doubtful that the City of Belleville could bring the casino to completion. Watching the past 5 years of racino devlopment or more specifically the lack thereof while they had the land and approval for the track in hand indicates that if they get a chance, they will screw it up. Mind you its still june and the Belleville buch are the spades in the grounders come sept...NOT
I only hope that belleville
I only hope that belleville city council takes the time to THOUGHly investigate the NEGATIVE effects that having a casino causes and not be blinded by the bright lights. Casinos do not provide ANY spinoff benifits... except for criminals!
greed, greed, greed, casino's
greed, greed, greed, casino's will destroy the economy of any city and most importantly, the livelihood of many families, you'll see.
Jodie Jenkins is correct.
Jodie Jenkins is correct. Let the people decide on the casino issue in the form of a referendum. After all is said it will be their money that will be put forward to build the thing. The residents should have a part in the decision.
This falls under my latest
This falls under my latest mantra.... "Who knew what when, and who told them?". This barrel of fish has been sitting in the sun a very long time!
In reply to This falls under my latest by bobbi
Your right on there. I have
Your right on there. I have sent this question to the Toronto Star but of course no one wants to open that can of worms except for the people involved in the horse racing industry. Keep digging - maybe we will find someone who knows something.