The mayor of Richmond, British Columbia, has severely criticized the plans for a new casino to be developed in the City of Delta. Mr. Malcolm Brodie has shared his concerns that the project would have a negative impact on the region, highlighting the lack of transit infrastructure and the possible impact which the casino could have on farming land.
Only a few days ago, the Delta Cascades Casino project received a final approval of the Delta City Council, but as predicted at the time, new obstacles are being faced by Gateway Casinos and Entertainment which is the owner of the casino project. The blessing of the City Council for an entertainment complex which is to include a casino venue, a five-story hotel, and a dining area seems to not be enough for the project to proceed forward.
According to Gateway Casinos, which is the company behind the proposed project, the opening of the new Delta Cascades Casino would be beneficial for the region. The gambling operator has said that hundreds of jobs would be created, while the annual revenue that would be brought to the City of Delta would amount to between CA$1.5 million and CA$3 million every year.
At the time when the City Council gave the green light to the project, Delta Councilor Bruce McDonald explained that the expected benefits are too good to pass up the opportunity to add more revenue to the city. According to Mr. McDonald, the city is prepared for some modifications, considering that Gateway Casinos wants to make a CA$75-million investment in the local community and employ 700 people.
Still, a final approval needs to be given to the casino and hotel project of Gateway Casinos by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) in order for the company to break ground.
Richmond to Send a Letter of Concern to BCLC
Unfortunately for Gateway Casinos, not everyone has been so benevolent to the proposed casino and hotel project. Richmond has previously opposed the project, with mayor Brodie now saying that the location of the development is “terrible”.
Mr. Brodie explained that the destination where the casino is set to be placed is situated in a car-oriented destination which lacks any real public transportation because it is on agricultural land. According to him, a possible development in the region would have a negative impact on the Agricultural Land Reserve. Apart from that, Richmond’s mayor has shared concerns that the new casino, which is expected to start operation in 2020, could “steal” some of the customers of the River Rock Casino.
Now, the mayor of Richmond revealed that the city is planning to send a letter to share its concerns with the BCLC – a step, which could lead to a non-binding dispute resolution process.
