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No political win to approving casino, plus questions about money, likely to sway vote

April 19th, 2011 · 3 Comments

Council meeting with casino vote starts in two hours. This was my story today about why there’s not much incentive for council to approve a casino expansion that would triple the size of the current Edgewater.

What I’m not sure of is how they will vote on the relocation from the current Plaza of Nations site to one beside BC Place.

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  • Bill McCreery

    I believe it’s not good enough just to oppose. We as citizens have an obligation to put forward constructive alternatives in circumstances such as the current casino debate. In that light here’s my letter to Mayor and Council as presented at the Public hearing last week:

    53% of Vancouverites are against further expansion of gambling, 42% are for. There are other, more financially and socially beneficial options available. These should be fully considered before a final decision is made. In that light I respectfully submitted an alternative to the Casino expansion proposal. It is clear the majority of Vancouverites do not want the City to be another Vegas.

    So let’s think smart instead of thinking big.

    Typically casinos have lots of unused slots and spots at tables, so Paragon can presumably do a lot more with what they have, if they do it smarter.

    Please visualize a new Edgewater across the street, re-envisioned as a ‘boutique’ casino-hotel operation. An exclusively designed, high-end facility with a higher ratio of VIP to public slots and tables to attract more off-shore customers.

    Then, take this another step. Can you visualize again please, an exclusive, ‘boutique’ casino-hotel operation which combines Whistler, Okanangon wine tours, heli-tours, heli-skiing, pocket cruises up the coast, and Rocky Mountaineer and fishing lodge excursions with the casino customers’ holiday experiences?

    Lets’ imagine a third step. This mix will also benefit from more critical mass by including the similarly conceived ’boutique’ River Rock and Villa Casinos. Their close proximity to each other and the airport together with joint marketing and the above added holiday experiences will make Vancouver an attractive destination for visitors.

    Another dimension related to the Edgewater Casino is the PNE Casino. The PNE Casino is a thorn in the side of many East Vancouverites, as well as being financially marginal. Although there are complexities involved, why not close the PNE Casino and the current operator in partnership with the City sell or lease their tables and slots to the new ’boutique’ Edgewater and Villa Casinos. This has several advantages, including:

    1) reducing the total number of tables and slots in Vancouver;
    2) adding a bit more capacity to the Edgewater and Villa to make them more competitive internationally;
    3) taking the casino out of the PNE will allow additional Park space as well as removing an unwanted facility in the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood. Both of these would be very well received by the residents of that neighbourhood.

    That’s imaginative, multi-layered marketing, and it gets those deep pockets spending more money in healthier, productive ways. And, that’s money that will stay in British Columbia.

  • Joe Just Joe

    Sounds like a reasonable solution. Not sure it would fly with the Vancouver not Vegas crowd as I don’t think they are willing to accept a larger casino in the area even if the total tables are less across the city. I don’t envy council tonight, whatever choice they make will be seen by a large group of people as the wrong choice. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground on this issue.

  • Lewis N. Villegas

    No. Just no.

    We don’t need it. We have the Canada Line hard-wiring Vancouver to the casino at Bridgetport, and the airport. Preach that, and let’s make Vancouver a casino-free zone.