Starlee Speers, Astral Media Radio -Vernon June 24
A Vernon council tactic to bring Lake city casino back to the negotiating table seems to have worked. Council gave the first three readings to a bylaw regulating the number of slot machines in the city to 3-hundred. Council is meeting with reps from Lake City to discuss a new bylaw limiting the number of slots in the Casino expansion. Councillor Barry Beardsell says, if talks end there, then casino still has to apply to the city for a liquor licence. Beardsell says he'll try anything to get some sort of control back in the community. He wants to see the casino contribute to a social responsibility fund. Council approved the casino expansion with 4-hundred slot machines with the intention to negotiate for a casino funded social responsibility after. The V-P of Lake City Casino says although legally they could still install 4-hundred slots, the BC lotto corp could decide to abide by the city's new regulations and only put in 3-hundred. Steve Kumpf says, regardless of the number of slots, Lake city will not be funding a social responsibility fund. Kumpf says, they have no intention at this point of delaying the casino expansion in Vernon.
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Casino operator "disappointed" with city council
Lake City Casino's vice president says if they're forced to, they'll only have 300 slot machines at their new Vernon location. City council has given three readings to a bylaw to set 300 as the limit for slot machines allowed in the city. Steve Kumph says he's disappointed Vernon council is setting that as the limit, when all along, his company has been planning to have 400. "We went through this process that included in-camera council sessions. We went through public open houses and a public hearing itself, and through all that we disclosed the fact that we were planning 400. "Our business plan and the size of the building are based on that so it's disappointing that they've taken this approach after all that excercise." Kumph says having fewer slot machines will make the new site less viable. "We were looking long term to get our return on the amount invested in this relocation and if we're limited to 300 over the long term, then it is questionable." The city set the limit to negotiate more money for a social responsibility fund, but Kumph says funding for that comes from the province. "We have a role to play. We take that role very seriously and that role is to help identify people who are displaying problems and get them in touch (with) the provincial programs in place to help them." The BC Lottery Corporation, which manages gaming in the province, indicates in a letter to the city it intends to back the limit which Kumph says could eliminate the possibility of having 400 and being non-conforming to the city's bylaw. He expects the new casino on Anderson Way will open sometime next year.
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