Philip Round, Comox Valley Echo
The City of Courtenay could be in line for an annual jackpot of $1 million or more if councillors vote to allow more slot machines at Chances gaming centre. The figure is revealed in documents submitted by Chances' owners, Playtime Community Gaming Centres Inc, to support a zoning change that would lift a City-imposed cap on the number of gaming machines. At present the City is entitled to a 10 per cent share of gaming income from the Courtenay centre, a figure already running at around $660,000 a year. The money comes mainly from proceeds generated by 100 gaming machines now operating at the centre off Ryan Road - a figure that increased from the original 75 only last fall. The city council has previously ruled there must be no more than 100 machines in the centre, and the decision to allow any at all only came after the closest possible 4-3 vote before Chances was actually built.
But Playtime's coordinator of business development, Arthur Villa, told the Echo demand from players today was already outstripping supply. He said since Chances opened two years ago, the facility had been very well received by local people. Villa could not say at this stage how many extra machines would be installed, but noted it was usual for the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) to consider increments of 25 at a time to meet demand. BCLC guidelines suggest community gaming centres can be equipped with up to 150 machines, subject to local government support, although more recently larger numbers have been permitted where there is proven market demand. If the present application gets approved as submitted, the council would not impose any limit of its own.
Space for new gaming machines in Courtenay would be found by reducing the capacity of the existing 200-seat bingo hall, where Villa said demand could be satisfied with fewer seats."Bingo has been in decline for the past 10 years worldwide," he said. "It still has a core following, but it is not what it was. Fewer younger people are playing." He assured keen players bingo would still be offered, but with fewer places.
No comments:
Post a Comment