OLG Toronto/GTA casino proposal (where to put it?)

[ShonTron]

Nonsense. There are no casinos in the three biggest cities of the Unites States - L.A., Chicago, New York. But I guess we're better than them right? We're more like Las Vegas or Atlantic City than those three insignificant cities.

Detroit has three casinos! Are there not doomsayers that Toronto will end up like Detroit if we don't do what they say we should?

 

[EnviroTO]

Nonsense. There are no casinos in the three biggest cities of the Unites States - L.A., Chicago, New York. But I guess we're better than them right? We're more like Las Vegas or Atlantic City than those three insignificant cities.

We are an Alpha World City... a casino, a large ferris wheel, and the worlds largest flag pole are the obvious next steps. That is all that is holding us back from getting to the same level as Paris and Tokyo. If it weren't for their casinos where would they be? Clearly without a casino Paris and Tokyo would be beneath Rama.

 

[freshcutgrass]

We are an Alpha World City... a casino, a large ferris wheel, and the worlds largest flag pole are the obvious next steps.

You left out Island Whorehouses. How did the file on Island Whorehouse get lost in the shuffle? All this talk about casinos and subways have diverted our attention away from the fact that Toronto's shot at the Bigtime hinges on Island Whorehouses.

Toronto doesn't stand a chance at outdoing anybody in skyscrapers, casinos or subways. But our Island Whorehouses would be so far ahead of anything like it, the world would be forced to bow at our feet. The U.N. would have no choice but to move their headquarters here from NYC, and the I.O.C. would be forced to grant us back-to-back Olympics.

 

[James]

Oh, it's worse than that. It won't just poach gambling revenue from other cities, but it will poach revenue from every other place in Toronto where people spend their discretionary money....both locals and tourists alike. And a casino gives back to the city the least amount for the revenue it generates.

It doesn't matter how big and fancy any new Toronto casino is...it will NEVER make Toronto a gambling destination...so it will not generate any new "gambling tourists", it will just divert any money they spend in one from every other place the city's economy would be better served by. And this is before any of the social ills are factored in.



Except this fantasy of lower taxes isn't going to happen (and never has). All you will end up with is even more "degenerate losers". Happy now?

I unequivocally agree. I truly do not believe a casino will add any value to our city. It is merely the government feeding off the casino regulars. Anytime you go to a casino, there will be a percentage of tourists and recreational players who are there for a good time. The amount of money they "donate" to the casino is peanuts compared to the regulars who are really the ones the casinos are targetting. The amount these regulars feed into the establishment is the only reason the developpers are considering this venture. Don't kid me that they didn't create a business plan with anticipated profit-loss sheets to justify this "business." Let's call a spade a spade: Toronto is not Vegas. The bulk of the money is not going to be from tourists. It is going to come from the die-hard group of lifetime gamblers who will now have a downtown venue to congregate to.

 

[MadMax]

Nonsense. There are no casinos in the three biggest cities of the Unites States - L.A., Chicago, New York. But I guess we're better than them right? We're more like Las Vegas or Atlantic City than those three insignificant cities.

Please check your facts before spreading misinformation. Google L.A. Casinos and Chicago casinos and you will see 6 of them in L.A. And 7 in Chicago. New York city just gave approval to a constitutional ammendnent that will allow seven non-Indian casinos to be built. Next time do a little research before commenting so obtusely.

 

[MadMax]

Oh, it's worse than that. It won't just poach gambling revenue from other cities, but it will poach revenue from every other place in Toronto where people spend their discretionary money....both locals and tourists alike. And a casino gives back to the city the least amount for the revenue it generates.

It doesn't matter how big and fancy any new Toronto casino is...it will NEVER make Toronto a gambling destination...so it will not generate any new "gambling tourists", it will just divert any money they spend in one from every other place the city's economy would be better served by. And this is before any of the social ills are factored in.



Except this fantasy of lower taxes isn't going to happen (and never has). All you will end up with is even more "degenerate losers". Happy now?

It's ok to be afraid...everyone is afraid of the unknown. A casino in Toronto will not cause mayhem and is not the coming of the anti-Christ. Your comments remind me of people in the 40's and 50's that thought rock and roll was devil music and alcohol was perceived as the devils drink during prohibition. Toronto is going to be just fine with a new casino and you will all look back on this thread with a big chuckle and wonder why was this such a big deal anyway.

 

[Ice_Burn]

Please check your facts before spreading misinformation. Google L.A. Casinos and Chicago casinos and you will see 6 of them in L.A. And 7 in Chicago. New York city just gave approval to a constitutional ammendnent that will allow seven non-Indian casinos to be built. Next time do a little research before commenting so obtusely.

So NYC is just approving casinos now. Super. That doesn't change your very ridiculous assertion that a city needs blackjack tables and concerts featuring washed-up R&B stars from the 90's in order to be great. What was NYC all this time, some backwater burg, three months out from a thriving crystal meth epidemic?

 

[MadMax]

So NYC is just approving casinos now. Super. That doesn't change your very ridiculous assertion that a city needs blackjack tables and concerts featuring washed-up R&B stars from the 90's in order to be great. What was NYC all this time, some backwater burg, three months out from a thriving crystal meth epidemic?

Sorry, I didn't say our city needed them...I simply said that it was the next logical step in the evolution of our city. You can whine all you want about it, it doesn't change the fact that we are growing as a city...in every aspect, right before our eyes. It's an exciting time to be living in the T.Dot. If somebody doesn't like it, they should move to Toledo lol.

 

[therein60mins]

Sorry, I didn't say our city needed them...I simply said that it was the next logical step in the evolution of our city. You can whine all you want about it, it doesn't change the fact that we are growing as a city...in every aspect, right before our eyes. It's an exciting time to be living in the T.Dot. If somebody doesn't like it, they should move to Toledo lol.

I completely agree!... put the casino on the island!...... similar to what Montreal did

 

[CN Tower]

There's a gaping hole in our municipal and provincial finances. A casino is a benign and possibly positive method of filling the gap. I'm a Toronto guy so ya, sucking gambling revenue from The Falls and Rama is not a problem for me and frankly I think a tasteful casino with some other recreational functions can turbo boost the total revenues from current gsmbling dens outside the GTA.

To those who object, please provide other suggestions. Something tells me that closing libraries will not be your second option.

FCG- you have a chip on your shoulder larger and more dense than any casino worldwide could possibly pay put so clearly you'll never be satisfied unless we turn the entire waterfront into a negative carbon Eco Village.

 

[spider]

I started this thread because I was curious about where people would think was the best location for it not whether we should have one at all. I was asking for a planning type opinion not a judgement on the morality of gambling. If a casino was awarded to Toronto which location would offer the best payback for the City instead of the casino operators.

 

[ttk77]

I started this thread because I was curious about where people would think was the best location for it not whether we should have one at all. I was asking for a planning type opinion not a judgement on the morality of gambling. If a casino was awarded to Toronto which location would offer the best payback for the City instead of the casino operators.

I don't think the one question is separable from the other. Most of those in favour of the casino will vote for a central location easily reachable by both cars and transit, and those opposed will vote for a location as far from their own home and hangout locations as possible. Can the casino be designed in such a way though so as to satisfy both groups? ie: minimize the negative impacts on the community by discouraging the most vulnerable from going while encouraging those with money to blow to spend as much as possible.

 

[neubilder]

I started this thread because I was curious about where people would think was the best location for it not whether we should have one at all. I was asking for a planning type opinion not a judgement on the morality of gambling. If a casino was awarded to Toronto which location would offer the best payback for the City instead of the casino operators.

That's like saying we are proposing to put a polluting industry in the city, and asking for feedback on the 'planning' related issues but not the environmental issues. The very notion of planning came about to address the conflicting/complementary natures of various types of uses.

 

[James]

Disregarding all aspects of whether it makes sense or not, just put the darn casino at Ontario Place.

 

[RC8]

Casinos aren't necessarily as bad as they used to be. Nowadays gamblers can throw their money away in the internet if they so wish. Much like prostitution, a lot of the negatives have been moved out of the street.

I would be fine-ish with Ontario Place becoming a casino if it means we get a nice resort in the waterfront with large pools and palm trees and whatnot. I feel you can't get a 'beach resort' atmosphere anywhere in Ontario, and this is a chance to allow people a getaway very close to home.

Maybe I'm just being nostalgic of my Miami years heheh