If Mayor Jim Watson believes the Ontario Lottery
and Gambling Corp. is going to be open to the idea of two casinos, when they
have previously closed the door to that suggestion, he must also believe in
Santa Claus. Using the example of two casinos in Niagara Falls to bolster his
argument for two in Ottawa is unimpressive. Most people go to Niagara Falls for
the falls and both casinos are conveniently located AT the falls, not 20-25 km’s
away. While there may be some merit in having a casino at either the raceway and/or
the western fringe of the city we should not lose sight of the need to have the
casino situated in an area that is not only readily accessible for the majority
of its residents but also the many visitors that may tend to gravitate to a
location closer to the downtown area. The Niagara Falls casinos are an economic
benefit because they are easily accessible for the population they serve. With
the Casino Lac-Leamy being closer for most Ottawa residents, as well as for
visitors, what would be the motivation to travel further than necessary? The
city’s long-term financial prospects should outweigh short-term considerations. It
seems clear that more homework needs to be done before deciding on this issue
and councillors must insist on that.
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