With the rescinding of the request for the rezoning of the former Kenroc site, there remains one area of North Bay primed for the construction of a casino.
Pinewood Park Drive is not serviced by the City all the way to the two properties that have been touted for rezoning, but passing these motions would facilitate their purchase by the province's chosen casino proponent. Rest assured that the lack of amenities will be rectified post haste if North Bay is chosen for a room of one-armed bandits.
The two properties are on opposite sides of Pinewood Park Drive. The first, located at 401 Pinewood Park Dr., is owned by the City and is the site of the former Sweetwater and MOE-ZE-ON Inn, which closed in 2014.
The former adult entertainment parlour and motel will soon be demolished, and tenders for the job are expected soon.
The second site, owned by a private, numbered business, is situated with its south end across from the northernmost part of the 401 Pinewood Park Dr. property, is much vaster (nearly 10 hectares) compared to two hectares for the city-owned site, and abuts Highway 11 to the east.
"Prospective sellers are putting their property in place to be purchased. Once the proponent is picked by the province, that proponent will go out and try to find a property," explained Coun. Mark King.
Like any successful gambler knows, a win-win proposition is the ultimate. If the former adult entertainment site is chosen for a casino, the City stands to turn a profit with the surplus land sale and reap the bonanza of property taxes.
"Having it zoned for a casino makes it a popular piece of property," affirmed King.
If the adjacent site is tabbed, the City will collect taxes, and have a valuable piece of land to sell in a potentially high-traffic area of the city.
On the prospect of the larger property being more desirable, King said, "The City of North Bay is just like any other property owner, we have to get in the game. I suspect that the property (not chosen) will also generate a lot of commercial interest."
City Senior Planner Peter Carello, in an extensive report, recommending the rezoning application for both properties, noted that job creation and ancillary economic benefits would result from a casino development.
Carello also deemed a casino to be a boon for hotels, gas bars, and restaurants, and other businesses that would see increased revenue from tourism.
The report also acknowledges the potential need for a traffic study but states that none would be undertaken until a decision on the casino is reached, reportedly in early 2017.
Asked about a potential timeline if one of the sites chosen, King supposed that it would be within one year or two, on the outside, for completion.
The report also briefly mentions the opposition that the Kenroc option elicited, as well as the consternation about having a casino within city limits at all.
From the report: "The concern expressed by the public relating to social issues (i.e. addiction, loss of revenue for bingo, increased crime) that may arise from a casino being located in North Bay are outside the Planning Department's area of expertise."
"I'm sure there will be an awful lot of public input over the casino in general, the planners were under fire with regards to the Kenroc property. The planners shouldn't be involved with the social issues. It's all about land use, period," concluded King.
Council also voted unanimously to withdraw the rezoning application for the former Kenroc site on the waterfront for the purpose of a Casino/gaming facility, confirming the property is surplus land.
