HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil - 2013-03-25 - Chamber of Commerce re OLG Gaming FacilityGREATER KorcxswsnvvArEuLmm
CVIAMBER 01--'COMMIERCIE
BUSINESS uo,m/woCOMMUNITY
February l3,2Ol3
Mayor Carl Mir
Kitchener City Hall
20O King Street V/ost`2 nd Noor
Kitchener, Ontario
N2(}4G7
Dear Mayor Zchl.:
Re: Waterloo Region Cnmiou
Further »n our correspondence last week and a February 7,2U}3 Chamber Poim1mf\/iewoveutwNhOntarm
Lot1ery and Gaming Corporation (}L() CEO RndP1hNlips, the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber mf
Co|umc/tc is asking that the City of Kitchener Council initiate public. consultation process h`determine
whether a new gailling facility \Vithin city boundaries is supported by residents and businesses.
The public omusm|ta*km) process, lu Mbo(cvcr[bnn determined 6v council, will ensure that all voices oil this
issue call be licard and provide feedback.
As noted ill the enclosed Waterloo Region Record article, tile Chamber has taken the position that local
noumioipu|i{ioc xhww|d examine all options for potential revenue sources to support escalating service and
iohnSbuoiu/'C demands for file gnniog population base nf Waterloo Region. At this time our organization
ooithovuuppodmooropposCsucnoiuo,bu1wecouhouu(no/ucxxoageaUonmioipo|ccvmoi|n1w[aoi|i|atm
appropriate discussions.
An Mc Phillips wmkcd ill his address to our Chamber last week, ill order to meet the Ontario government's
commitment for completion o[UvuCVG`u modernization Plan 6v2U|7'|K,m response From local municipal ities
is required by April of 2013. Therefore, Nve would ask that the City of Kitclicner expeditiously initiate a
conmultu{[mnpnmunss.
Thank you for the consideration o[Uuia request and interest ill this iuxuCofSigoiQomd importance hothe
Waterloo Region business sector,
Sincerely
bmMcLeax
P.O. President & CEO
Box 2367 00 QUecm 8t. N., Kitchener, Ontario N211 61-4
Te[/51A\57Q-5DO0 Fax: (51B)742-4760
WebSite:VVKVw.�l[eate[l�VVehEiOAi)e[coDl Enxai[ (�111101
Waterloo Do8ioo needs discussion about caxinoa | (horeoord
Waterloo Region needs discussion about casinos
The Greater Kitchener Waterloo ohamoeru Commerce has °m"ys been ° catalyst m
encouraging community /oueswu^ fully discussed before decisions are made
Our ,h°rn^o, will play that w/o again on the possibility ma local casino. Our growing
deputation and the increasing demand for transportation infrastructure, health and social
services, °*i waste water m"""u°rn""` and housing should o" reason enough * have p
full public discussion v" this issue
Over the past months, The Record has published two editorials highly critical ofthe
establishment mn local casino. The headw are overly drarn/tic: Keep ^casino out of
Waterloo Region (Oct /4} and Casino isp bad bet for wm»wou(Nnv. 2z)—however
ni provides any substantive arguments ", facts related w why those mc//'iesmwm^o
so detrimental [or the residents a Waterloo Region.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the provincial agency responsible for the
regulation of gaming, has Initiated a new modernization plan that aw*m maximize revenues
mmoprovincial government by placing new facilities in areas m greatest customer demand,
The plan also calls for enhanced benefits for host communities Such as more qualify jobs,
This sign °e!conies=usto=" to Casino B,amw^«full
nec�ssafy, says 1,11 McLean, president end ciflef executwe orficer OT the
Over the auturnn months, -senior lottery corporation staff have been traveling the province
,nd*Kpiaoing the strategy for consideration by both municipal councils End residents As
u*"w"m Bauman noted at the pubHc moisting, on casinos In Elmira on Nov. 20, Wookvich TovinshIp coundl has an obligation to examine and analyze all options for
generating revenue, which will /" turn Support the increasing service responsibilities n/ the township.
/would agree that all municipalities across Waterloo Region and Ontario have this sarn°responsmiimdemand the facts train the lottery and gaming corpoualion and
once m significant discussion has taken place, a decision should u^ made m move forward ", reject further Consideration.
* significant n,mnw for business attraction and woxum across Waterloo Region /y the lack ^r" convention centre similar w facilities m Hamilton and London. The
absence w" convention centre mnits our ability tomwmwomrencm.000"a/m^^o^oyaouammum,matwu»,/"n,m=rs°xxmsx/"v°/no/mspns"mommmem
the region, °"»seq"°"/h supporting businesses such ~" retail and the hospitality sector.
Since the announcement from the lottery corporation last spring "" its new modernization plan, there has been informal discussion across the community = the pooml"/
u connecting a new casino m^mu^o"e"u,u conference ce"/° w* encourage municipal councils m provide the opportunity and ummm allow specific options such
os this /opo fully considered.
* priority factor that Should be discussed is the location for a potenlial facility. Important considerations include the benefits presented by the developing Kitchener core
area, driven u' this ;"mm"n/wrx Hub End transit cammo, King and Victoria streets along with the pending construction ofv light rail trans t`y"wm However, alarger
population mse^"°my "m`* in the suburban area away from the, core, pmmmm* vital questions for analysis and resolution
There are also many legitimate concerns about the negative fallout "/" casino w the region that need mbe discussed from full public consultation
Our chamber has o tong history of advocating and working for broader COMMUnity Initiatives We hive been " leader m physician recruitment efforts and advocated for
and achieved program changes that allow u^m compete for me/o.-t'^meu doctors and recent graduates Over the past year, ,w have oua/u initiated efforts msecure
provincial funding for a new Highway , and have been long-standing proponents for " light rail project
x growing population base i escalating services, which m turn require sustainable sources o/ funding m»o clear, our chamber neither endorses nor opposes "
casino at this Stage, We Would encourage all municipal Councils m facilitate ^ full discussion "" the issue.
As bown000 organization, o", highest priority is ommiommx and job creation Economic growl leads to population y,o°m and vice versa More /mpo.mww.
economic growth and job creation leads to expanding mmmm bases for all levels of oov^mmav However, within "pmw oro=mo urban areas such as Kitchener,
Waterloo and Cambridge the u"m"n^" for public service are outpacing the revenues Thal /o why all options for additional, new and Sustainable sources must bp
explored
mprnpstaff this issue, the Greater Kitchener Waterloo marnim Commerce %vill host Rod Phillips, president End Chief 6XMAiVe office u[he Ontario Lol and
Gaming Corporation to a chamber event at Bingernsi on Feb. 7 to further explain their new Mratogy and the benefits for host communities w* will also have questions
for Phillips that will o^ generated u/ our chamber volunteer ocmm^l
This is an mp"itaw first stop in the nubliouebw" By having a mn public dialogue oo the pros *^u Cons Of this issue, the community and Mooted ommal"°w/ have all
the facts on which to inalke their decision
lao McLean is president and chief executive officer of tire Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.
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kU»:ll\v`vn.(liuruuord.onoilo ion/cnlummno/uric]c/8795]0--rvmtocmn'nrAiou'mcmCIo'climcumzi— 2/6/2013