This article from the Daily Courier is the first media report of Council's decision to allow the RELOCATION of the Casino.Don Quixote Observations:
Coun. Beardsell let the charge and proposed an amendment that would defer the decision re the relocation until after negotiation with the Provincial Government on making the new Casino a Destination Casino. This move was seconded by Coun. Cunningham and after a lengthly debate the motion was defeated 4-3 with Coun. Baumbrough joining the intrepid duo and Mayor Lippert casting the last vote that defeated this motion.
Beardsell envisioned using the extra 6 2/3% of net that comes from being a destination casino and earmark the funds for the O'keefe ranch to put them on a financially sound and sustainable footing. After that he proposed future monies from this source would go to building up other projects like the art gallery and other tourist attractions. This money would have been about $1,133,000 per year. This motion was defeated 4-3.
Coun. Nicol managed to propose a motion to put aside $50,000 of the new money for those people directly affected by gaming (sic). Remember this is money that the City will get as part of their 10% contract and is NOT extra money. Coun Cunningham prodded him to change his motion so that this was money that would come from a direct agreement from the Casino operator and thus a condition of relocation but to no avail. This motion was passed by the same 4-3 count. There was no indication whether this was a one time allocation of the future money or that it would occur annually.
The Mayor hurriedly called the vote on the original motion "That BC Lottery Corporation be advised that Council supports the relocation of Lake City Casino from 4801- 27th Street to 4900 Anderson Way." The duo of Beardsell and Cunningham in frustration sensing a negative vote did not propose a subject to the 'negotiation with Lakeside Casino for an annual community benefit contribution similar to the City of Vancouver -Edgewater Social Responsibility Fund ($200,000 annually)'
The vote was called on the main motion "the RELOCATION" and passed by a 4-3 vote again.
Coun. Cochrane then proposed that Coun. Beardsell's original motion about pursuing Destination status for Vernon's casino as a separate item and it passed easily. (unanimous)
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Don Quixote Editorial Rant
Initially I was pissed off that Beardsell and Cunningham hadn't at least put the Social Responsibility motion on the floor and put in on record who had voted for it and who were against the idea. I later talked with another councilor who did not understand where this Social responsibility money would be coming from (the Casino, Duh !) and indicated that maybe it wasn't too late to amend it on final reading etc. Too late I said, that was a final resolution. (However, I believe that anyone in the 4-3 majority could ask for a reconsideration vote and attempt to get this Fund resurrected.)
By not passing that resolution the City has lost any bargaining power with the Casino and unless the Casino sees the public relations value of offering these monies annually there will be no Social Responsibility Fund.
One of the four members of Council in the majority (Lippert, Nicol, Cochrane and Gilroy) could ask for reconsideration of the motion and amend it to make it subject to an annual contribution by the Casino to a Social Responsibility Fund. (Perhaps to at least match the Council's $50,000 that it has already committed).
There is a special open meeting of Council on Wednesday and also COW meetings on Thursday and Friday. Will any of these Councillors avail themselves of the opportunity and bring this matter back to the council table ?
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