By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - November 25, 2007
The fate of a proposed expanded casino rests with the City of Vernon. Council will decide Monday whether it supports the relocation of the Lake City Casino outlet from the Village Green Mall to Anderson Way, next to Toyota. “Like everything, there are pros and cons,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert. If relocation occurs, the casino will go from 12,000 to 30,000-square-feet.The number of slot machines would climb from 210 to 400, while there would also be six table games, two poker tables, two electronic tables (poker and roulette) and a 700-seat pub/restaurant.
At a recent public input session, both sides of the issue were presented to council.Some support the relocation, saying it provides residents with increased entertainment opportunities and bolsters the economy by hiring locals and drawing tourists to town. However, others spoke out against the proposal from Lake City Casino and the B.C. Lottery Corporation, claiming gambling negatively hurts families and individuals and draws money out of the local economy. “We will have to look at the economic benefits but also the social impacts,” said Lippert.“It’s a tough decision because we have to look at things morally and fiscally.”
Coun. Jack Gilroy will raise his hand in support of relocation. “People had good points about the negative aspects but not everyone that goes there is addicted. It’s their social activity,” he said. Coun. Pat Cochrane has reservations about gambling, but points out that gaming is a provincial responsibility. “At the end of the day, the casino relocation will happen,” he said. “It’s better to have it in the city than us having all the social issues and the casino is on the edge of our boundary.”Officials with Lake City Casino and the B.C. Lottery Corporation have stated that relocation will only occur if city council agrees.
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