As interest heats up for a casino in North Bay, City Council is opening up opportunities for its potential location.
Amidst the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s (OLG) request for proposal for the Northern Gaming Bundle, politicians last night unanimously approved declaring two separate parcels of land fit to be used as a casino gaming facility.
The properties, located at 401 Pinewood Park Drive and the former Kenroc property on Memorial Drive, have received considerable interest lately, and deeming them surplus simply speeds up the process.
“Over probably the last two or three months we know there have been five proponents in the city that have looked at all kinds of opportunities,” Community Services chair Coun. Mark King explained on Monday.
“It’s city-owned property,” he added, “so really the process was to, more than anything, send a signal that those properties are available for that development.”
Mayor Al McDonald and Coun. Tanya Vrebosch were quick to remind everyone that final rezoning approval on both properties is still subject to a public process and is regulated like any other subdivision rezoning.
But in order for them to sell the land eventually, both sites had to be declared as surplus, which seemed easy to do considering there are no other proposed plans by the city.
The staff reports show that there have been inquiries into the availability of the land and that multiple proponents have visited the city in search of a potential location for the gaming facility.
“In the event the property becomes the preferred site of the successful casino/gaming facility proponent, undertaking the rezoning now would speed up the process,” said city staff. “In addition, rezoning the property will further confirm City Council’s support for a casino/gaming facility.”
The Pinewood property is in disrepair and, depending on if and when the sale takes place, the city might be required to make a payment to the senior levels of government for a portion of the liens against them, which currently amount to $200,000.
On the other hand, the former Kenroc land, located on Memorial Drive between Tenth Avenue and Marathon Beach, is vacant and undeveloped. There have been various proposals to develop the land in the past, but none were followed through.
However, the proponent could also choose to pursue private parcels.
“They could be looking at other private pieces of property,” said King. “I’m not aware of them, but there were all kinds of rumours floating around town about what they were looking at and it’s basically a competition at this point.”
King, who stated he doesn’t agree morally with building a casino in the area, also sits as the chair of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) and said the process is still in its infancy.
“As chair of DNSSAB, there will be some asks as far as homelessness is concerned once this transpires,” he said. “From a DNSSAB standpoint, we feel there will be issues.”
The local casino would be licensed for up to 300 slots and 15 tables, which would rank in the bottom third in size and additional amenities compared to the other OLG slots in the province.
Janet Zimbalatti of the Blue Sky Bingo Hall Charity Association has been urging council since February to undertake a comprehensive economic impact study of a casino on the community.
In her presentations, she has argued that the district will be paying disproportionately through the OLG model, with the province receiving up to 50 per cent of the casino revenue and the city likely only retaining five per cent.
The Association currently receives 45 per cent of the profit from all games and concessions at Blue Sky Bingo and divide it up amongst 57 charitable organizations locally, which they feel will diminish if a casino comes to town.
It would be up to a member of council to bring the economic analysis proposal forward.
But so far, Zimbalatti’s requests have been met with inaction.
“I’ve not heard anything around the council table,” King said about Zimbalatti’s study. “I’m a realist in the process - I know that the majority of council will support it. You only have to look around the province to see what’s happening. We’re going in that direction.
“There’s no question in my mind that we will see a casino here in North Bay somewhere along the line,” he added.
Council has received no further details from the OLG while they finalize the request for proposal process for the Northern Gaming Bundle, including North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and Kenora.
