After the Town of Barrhead, Woodlands County has now also declared its support for the relocation of Camrose Resort Casino from Camrose to Edmonton. The two communities now urge the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission to approve Capital City Casinos’ request. The move would help them receive more charity from casino revenue.
It should be explained that a while back, Capital City Casinos filed a request to the AGLC to relocate Camrose Resort Casino from Camrose to South Edmonton. If the regulator approved the move, the casino would still be part of the rural charity gaming pool serving the same charities as they do now. However, the request was denied by the Crown agency.
Woodlands County Favours the Move
Most recently, Woodlands County also backed the proposed relocation. Community services coordinator Heather Anderson commented that the AGLC’s decision will greatly impact the county’s non-profit organizations, as many of them a hugely reliant on casino revenue for funding. She also shared that many groups have to wait up to two years to get the revenue.
Meanwhile, Whitecourt East Coun. Jeremy Wilhelm commented that a non-profit organization he is a part of is dependent on casino funding and it has grown frustrating that they always have to go to a casino in Grande Prairie instead of one of the higher-grossing gambling houses in Edmonton. The move would allow the casino to have more customers, hence more funds for charities.
In addition to that, Ms. Anderson noted that she is not aware of how the AGLC evaluates which casinos charities are assigned except that non-profits in rural communities are relegated to casinos in smaller communities. She added that the casino could potentially close if not relocated, which would mean more of a backlog for casino dates and even smaller payouts to local charities.
Prior to that, councillors of the County of Barrhead decided to draft a letter to the AGLC, asking it to review its decision and approve the relocation of the casino to Edmonton. Reeve Doug Drozd commented that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta are also supporting the request. He commented that the relocation made sense, as it would increase the pot for the Camrose region and Alberta.
Council Speaks Again the Move
Despite the many positives of the relocations, the Edmonton city council is not fond of the idea of bringing in another casino property. In August 2022, the council sent a list of concerns for a possible casino in southeast Edmonton to the AGLC. Furthermore, the letter has also been backed and signed by Mayor Amarjeet Sohi.
In its letter, the council states that approval to relocate the casino to Edmonton without an urban license would not come with a positive impact on the local community organizations. In fact, the council cites that the move would result in a net loss in existing revenue to local charities, as it would mean that more casino properties are competing in the same area.
Source: Kerton, Barry “Two more communities join the fight” Town and Country Today, February 23, 2023
