Steve Diamond, a developer and lawyer who represented Woodbine in its dealings with the city, says that says he does not recall ever having had a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Ford.
"I never dealt much with Rob Ford on the issue," he says. Though Mr. Ford was "helpful and supportive," he says, "I don't believe it is fair to suggest he was the single catalyst for the project."
Yet Mr. Ford persistently suggests just that. When I asked him whether it was really fair to say that he "landed" the deal, he said: "Absolutely. I was the one who was instrumental in bringing things together."
When his rival for the mayoralty, Rocco Rossi, suggested at a recent debate that Etobicoke councillor Suzan Hall was just as influential, Mr. Ford said: "She had nothing to do with it. I was the one doing all the leg work."
That came as news to Ms. Hall, who says she did plenty, including serving on a local committee looking at job creation. "Why lie about me?" she says. "I don't know why he feels he needs to denigrate others to promote himself."