When people like Dan Mangan and Gordon Gibson, Brian Jungen and Alex Tsakumis, and the Lutheran Urban Mission Society are all piling on to oppose casino expansion, there’s rough seas ahead suddenly for this proposal.
This news release just out from the Little Train That Could, Vancouver Not Vegas.
Vancouver, BC: A groundswell of support from people and organizations across Vancouver against the proposed expanded mega casino from Paragon Gaming and Crown Corporation BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCO), has the grassroots coalition that started the movement, elated.
Vancouver Not Vegas! Coalition spokesperson SANDY GAROSSINO says the response over the last week to media reports on the casino expansion has been “Overwhelming!”
“We are delighted that so many thousands of people are awakening to the very real concerns posed by this development”, Garossino said. “The people and organizations supporting us are coming from every part of the city, from every walk of life. They are sending council e-mails, signing petitions and trying to find out how to engage in this fight”.
“What is extraordinary is that they all have a common goal with us—-to see that on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17th, the City of Vancouver counsellors and Mayor Gregor Robertson call for a moratorium on the expansion of gaming in Vancouver”. An in-council session, looking at the re-zoning application for the expanded mega casino site, is expected to attract over 80 speaking delegations and many in the gallery who oppose the Paragon application..
Garossino says that there are too many unanswered questions about the development. These include the scope of the partnership between PavCo and Paragon, and financing questions around the deal, as well as how programs and costs surrounding increased social and community problems such as increased crime, gang activity, money laundering, addictions and neighbourhood safety will be handled.
The lack of material that the public can see that explains potential downsides is, she said, “Extremely troubling and concerning. We don’t need another Olympic Village. And we certainly don’t need any more social problems for neighbourhoods in this City. Public transparency and public consultation on this issue is critical.”
Vancouver Not Vegas! is a non-partisan collection of the following groups:False Creek Residents’ Association; Strathcona Residents’ Association; Grandview-Woodlands Area Council; BC Association of Charitable Gaming Alliance for Arts & Culture; Arts Advocacy BC; Stop BC Arts Cuts
People can look to dontgamblevancouver.wordpress.com for more information.
Prominent Vancouverites Opposed to the Mega-casino
Bing Thom, Order of Canada
Cornelia Oberlander, Order of Canada
Alma Lee, Order of Canada
Michael Clague, Order of Canada
Patrick Reid, Order of Canada
Jean Swanson
May Brown, Order of BC
Yosef Wosk, Order of BC
Gordon Gibson, Order of BC
Peter Ladner, Former City Councillor
Setty Pendakur, Former City Councillor
Peter Elliott, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral
Anthony Perl, Dir. SFU Urban Studies Program
Dan Mangan
Frieda Granot, Sauder School of Business
George Puil, Former City Councillor
Dr. Colin Campbell
Shane Koyczan, Olympic poet
Jonathan Baker
Doug McArthur
Judith Marcuse
Brian Jungen
Alix Brown
Michael Turner
Catriona Jeffries
Alex G. Tsakumis
Alda Pereira
Hank Bull, artist
Nick Milkovich, Architect
Sandra Garossino
Sean Bickerton
Ned Jacobs, urbanist
and more to come
Community Group Supporters of the Coalition
Council of Senior Citizens Organizations of BC (COSCO)
Carnegie Community Action Project
Community Arts Council of Vancouver
Anglican Church – Christchurch Cathedral
BC Persons With AIDS Society
Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver
Lutheran Urban Mission Society