By Lynsey franks News Editor Jul 25 2007 Catlegar News
Castlegar is the chosen one. The BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC) announced on Tuesday afternoon that the new gaming centre will in fact be a reality for Castlegar. Greg Walker, the Manager of Public Affairs for BCLC, says that the Castlegar Airport is the designated site selection for the new 16,000 square foot facility, and following the Corporation’s comprehensive review of the West Kootenay gaming market, it is expected to be in place in roughly 18 months. “We’re really excited about this,” said Mayor Lawrence Chernoff. “It’s a nice chunk of money and will surely help the City.” According to Walker, the Gaming Control Act requires that municipalities prove an opportunity for public input when it considers hosting a gaming facility before approving the proposal to BCLC. “The ball will now move over into the municipality’s (Castlegar’s) court,” said Walker. “It’s really a milestone in the process for the BCLC.”
Once a site selection has been chosen, Walker says it’s a four-step process towards completing and finalizing the plan. First, the BCLC must make a site selection (Castlegar); second, the municipality must receive community input; third, the municipality must provide the BCLC with a resolution in writing; and last, ensure that there are no appeals or objections. According to Walker, there is an opportunity for an adjacent municipality within a five kilometre radius from the facility to object, and local government must consider a number of areas including: domestic population, tourism benefits, and access to location in order to make their final decision. As for the BCLC, their decision in choosing the location came down to “location, location, location.” “If you consider a regional marketplace, we’re looking for something most convenient to get to,” explained Walker. “The location is just a location, it’s something for all of the West Kootenay and is a source of entertainment prime to serve all of the region,” added Chernoff. “From the community aspect, I am really proud that we have the site. If the ball is in our court, we plan to hit a home run.”
Trail Mayor Dieter Bogs expressed disappointment after hearing the news and explained that due to the business activity near the Castlegar Airport, he feels that activity made the difference in the eyes of BCLC when choosing a site location. “We’ve done a lot of work, but what I really would like to say is that I was disappointed that we could not bring a proposal to the Trail residents for their participation. We did a lot of work on this in the past few years, and I am disappointed that we have not had the opportunity to give the proposal for their consideration,” said Bogs. Revenue from the gaming centre is based on net profit, and according to Walker, the City will receive 10 per cent of the net revenue from the slot machines. “The money won’t go to a specific thing,” said Chernoff. “I really think that if we can show the community positive outcomes, then the public will accept it.”
According to BCLC, the community gaming centre model was developed to help revitalize the bingo industry by building on the unique appeal of the bingo gaming experience while including a broader array of entertainment options, and ultimately to “provide high-quality gaming entertainment in a socially responsible manner, generating income for public good.” “It’s important to understand a community gaming centre,” said Walker. “It’s a blend of bingo, slot machines, lottery games and food and beverages.” When the issue of addiction arose, Chernoff said “We plan to help with social services (addiction) even long before it becomes an issue, we plan to deal with it up front.” “We will look after the public all the way through, and really that has been our goal all along,” he explained. Chernoff stated that in bringing in the gaming centre, his goal of bringing new business into the community is being met, and ultimately, it benefits the tax payers. “If you make your money in the community, you should spend your money in the community,” he explained. “Now we have the development proposal from the provider, now it’s just a matter of accomplishing the goal. We’ve worked really hard for this.”
No comments:
Post a Comment