Toronto to hold consultations with public on proposed casino

Council will have to tell the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation early next year whether or not it supports a casino being established in downtown Toronto and whether gambling operations should continue at Woodbine. The city would make us$ 32 million to us$ 168 million a year in casino hosting fees, according to city staff.

City manager Joe Pennachetti said the city will be hiring a consultant to carry out the consultation with the public and he’ll be sitting down with the OLG to hammer out Toronto’s casino hosting fee.

Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti successfully got the committee to ask staff to report back on the possibility of a temporary casino in Toronto. If council approves a casino, Mammoliti said he wants a temporary operation on a cruise ship or in the Port Lands “right away.” “We could have an instant cash flow coming to the City of Toronto at budget time if we do this right,” he said.

In his speech to the committee, Mammoliti heralded a casino as a budget jackpot for the city. “It may stop incredible property tax increases,” he said. “The same councillors who want to stop this are the same ones that will vote for property tax increases in this city.”

Mammoliti blasted vocal casino critic Councillor Adam Vaughan for trying to derail the project. “We could potentially lose this to the City of Vaughan because of Councillor Vaughan,” he said.

Vaughan and several councillors not on the executive committee dismissed the casino revenue projections. “There is simply not enough information here,” Councillor Janet Davis insisted. Councillor Paula Fletcher called the revenue projections a “fairy tale.”

Julie Beddoes of the West Don Lands Committee urged councillors to approve a longer consultation process for a casino. Beddoes said the committee doesn’t see a casino as a “legitimate way to fund operations of the city.”