Wasaga Beach had its regular council meeting this Thursday and Gateway Casinos & Entertainment was among the main topics of discussion and voting. This time more people were interested in the congregation, as the building of the City Chambers attracted an organized group of people protesting against the exact location of the future casino venue. They pointed out that it is of great importance, as it could end up more beneficial to neighboring communities than to Wasaga Beach.
Wasaga Beach is going to welcome gaming operation in the foreseeable future which means that at the moment this is among the hot topics in the region. Many people are concerned about the exact location that the casino operator is going to pinpoint, as it has the potential to make or break the gaming field of the town. For the time being, Gateway Casinos has not chosen a particular site for construction, but the community is already making its projections about the impact of any given choice.
Residents Want Casino at Former Waterworld Property
The small congregation that made its way to the City Council this Thursday claims that if the new casino venue is built at Highway 26 it is going to have a positive impact on neighboring communities to the likes of Clearview, Stayner, and Collingwood, due to its proximity. Collingwood is located some 21.3 km from Wasaga Beach and the location is a preferred destination.
Clearview and Stayner are situated even closer, making access to Wasaga Beach even easier. Wasaga Beach Associationās Patrice McCammon pointed out that this location would not prove to be good in the long run, as it could possibly increase the tax base for the region. In an attempt to prevent this turn of events from taking place a group protested in front of the City Chambers building with signs such as Say no to 26, Businessā lives matter, among others.
They stated that the best possible location for a casino venue in Wasaga Beach is the proposed one at the former Waterworld property. This is an already developed area of the town and the addition of a casino venue would make it an even more attractive one, now that Waterworld is no longer in operation. Nancy Island is there, attracting both tourists and locals, in addition to various accommodations in the area and dining offerings.
OLG Talks Regular Money Allocations
In the meantime, the regular meeting saw Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation representatives making their presentation on the way a casino venue is going to impact the area with its operation. Boosting charitable organizations across the town, as well as providing regular allocations to the community as compensation for the gambling operation. Tony Bitonti, spokesperson for OLG pointed out that the corporation would offer the portions of gaming revenue on a regular basis once the casino venue commences operation.
In the meantime, Gateway Casinos also made it clear that the new gaming facility is going to align well with the existing locations overseen by the casino operator. The new project is designed in a way that would incorporate natural light and large windows. The location would also bring the signature dining offering MATCH Eatery & Public House and The Buffet, offering a more family-friendly pastime activity for those that do not want to necessarily gamble.
By the end of April, the casino operator has to have made the decision and issued it publicly, as right now it is estimating the pros and cons of all five proposed locations. The previous council of Wasaga Beach listed them as potential hosts for the new facility and the local community stated that it wants to haveĀ the final say, as it directly affects it.
