Anti-casino activists have obtained additional information to support their position on the Kingsway Entertainment District Center to be built in the Kingsway District of Greater Sudbury, northeastern Ontario.
This is a large-scale project that involves the construction of a huge event center, including an arena, festival square, and hotel complex, along with a casino. This is where campaigners at Casino Free Thirdbury are protesting. The event centre in question is currently planned for the undeveloped eastern Kingsway area of the city.
The ambitious project has already been approved by Sudbury City Council, but the property of the event centre still needs to be zoned out before construction can begin. Supporters of the event center listed a number of positive factors that the project would bring to the region. They argue that event centers will revitalize the local economy and the stadiums that the complex will include are expected to attract attention on behalf of both local residents and tourists. The complex will also provide more than 250 jobs for local citizens. As many as 160 people have already been hired to participate in the project.
However, not everyone supports Kingsway Entertainment District. It’s the casinos that the opponents have a problem with. Tom Potin, who is in charge of Casino Free Sudbury Group, is leading anti-casino activists. The group commissioned a report from Urban Metrics, a third-party consultant company with previous experience in city development and casino gambling.
The results of this report were published yesterday and one of the main points concerns where gambling houses will generate revenue. Since Kingsway is home to a remote community, the question arises as to where the casino will generate revenue. Gambling venues across southern Ontario are frequented by millions of people from the surrounding community. Kingsway, on the other hand, is a remote area and may struggle to attract customers to casinos.
Mr. Potin, the leader of the Casino Freedom Group, argues that the City Metrics report shows that the project will face many economic and financial challenges. Mr Potin believes that there is no benefit in terms of tax revenue, judging from the results of the report he commissioned. According to anti-casino activists, building casinos may make it difficult for local businesses. It could also lead to lower tax bases.
The report was sent to Sudbury City Council members before it was officially released. Some city councilors, such as Robert Kirwan, have expressed suspicions that the results of the report were distorted. Kirwan himself sees the report more as an “opinion” and takes it for granted, given that Urban Metrics is a company dealing with urban development.
The zoning of the Kingsway Entertainment District will take place from March 26 to March 28. Mr. Potin and his supporters plan to attend both meetings and present the results of the report they commissioned. The decisions of the two meetings will be discussed at Sudbury City Council on 20 April 2018.
Once the city council approves the zoning change, Casino Free Sudbury Group plans to appeal their decision to the Ontario City Council. If necessary, the results of the impact report should be used as evidence, Mr Potin explained.