Salon de Jeux in Quebec City is renowned for its operation over the years and the welcoming atmosphere it has on offer. Now its future development appears to be threatened by the Coalition Avenir Quebec and its plans to transform it into a casino venue and find it a more profitable spot for operation.
Jean Lajoie, once Mayor of Pointe-au-Pic begs to differ and seeks gaming hall closure with an open letter. Optimizing the operation of a given facility is one of the essential goals of every gambling establishment, as players and their interest in gambling are its driving force. The Quebec officials yet to obtain the power to make such proposals and changes want to transform the gaming hall into a casino venue and relocate it to an area that could attract more individuals willing to try their luck.
Gaming Hall Could Evolve into Casino
The Charlevoix area that currently hosts a casino venue is perceived as one of the poorest areas on a provincial level. Since its launch, the casino venue has witnessed a 40-percent drop in its employees’ numbers.
As a consequence of this, the wages have also seen the negative effect and this is not a direction in which the casino venue wants to develop in the future. The introduction of a new gambling facility in the region is projected to lead to a cannibalization of the field.
Local officials are after a parallel probe that would look into the potential impact of Casino de Charlevoix’ end of operation. They want to see how this would affect the community where people rely on the steady income it provides.
Players would also be directly affected by a potential closure, eventually making their way to a nearby casino venue and taking their money away from the community. The gambling venue has been in operation ever since 1994 with Mr. Lajoie being the Mayor who supported the project. Now the situation is either Casino Charlevoix or Salon de Jeux and the upcoming weeks would see more information and estimations on the topic.
October Would Bring Clarity to the Situation
October’s elections could elect the political formation of François Legault and this would give it the freedom to conduct its very own survey on the most appropriate location for gaming hall relocation. This could take up to a year and there are many unknowns remaining in the equation, but regardless of this, communities have already expressed their position on the subject.
In response to this possibility, Quebec Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx pointed out that the information of the study would be of great interest to all officials protecting people’s best interest. Keeping this in mind, she claimed that Charlevoix and its existing gaming sector remains her priority. The party could potentially eye the area since it is an attractive tourist hotspot and could guarantee a constant flow of casino patrons.
The Mayor of La Malbaie, Michel Couturier also pointed out that the protection would be much appreciated. Local businesses could be negatively affected by the introduction of a second casino venue, as the region already has Casino de Charlevoix in operation. For Mr. Lajoie, this would be a death sentence putting an end to its 25-year operation.
