dbia downtown casino report

8/17/2019 DBIA Downtown Casino Report

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May 13, 2016

Dear members of council,

The DBIA board and staff have spent significant time researching the impacts of casinos in cities across

Canada. We’ve seen that casinos work in downtowns and that locations along a major highway on theedge of the city can cause further harm to other entertainment and commercial districts.

When casinos locate downtown:

• They lead to new investment and revitalization in the surrounding area

• The employees shop, eat, play and live downtown• Approximately 10% of casino patrons shop and eat at surrounding businesses, which would be about

400 - 500 people on a typical weekend

• Fears of increased crime have not materialized

• Parking and traffic issues can be accommodated, partly because significant amounts of people arriveby taxi or get dropped off

When casinos locate on the periphery of the city:

• Entertainment options pull people away from downtown venues• The area around the casino develops into a competing entertainment and hospitality node

We surveyed our members in 2013 and 71% were in favour of a downtown casino. Three years later we

have presented you with a further stack of letters showing support for a downtown casino and concerns

for one near the highway.

There’s a reason why the official plan specifies that major entertainment should be clustereddowntown. We have a number of major developers, represented both on our board and in the

accompanying letters, that rely on the city’s plans when investing in our community. If we’re going tohost a development that will bring significant investment into the community, let’s follow our plans andput it where it will have the maximum benefit.

Dave Madill, DBIA Chair

313 Water Street, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7W7 • Tel: (705) 748-4774/5website: www.GoDowntown.ca e-mail: [email protected]


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May 12, 2016

Casinos and Downtowns- The Impacts

Thunder Bay- "We Love our Downtown Casino"

The Waterfront BIA's Coordinator Donna Lee who represents 130 businesses say the casino has been in thedowntown for 15 years now with no issues at all to the downtown. In fact it's a great partnership. They provide

$10,000 yearly to their BIA's Ribfest event. The patrons don't necessarily shop in the downtown but some eatdowntown. The 230 employees do shop, eat and use the downtown.

It's Mostly an older demographic that use the facility. They never received one complaint and the BIA membersare 100% positive. They have seen no problems with parking or traffic. They have about 300 parking spots arounthe casino and on-street parking. Donna say's "what we thought would happen didn't" in regards to social or crimissues. The Casino pays an Associate Membership of $300 per year to the BIA. They are just outside of boundarbut still in downtown catchment and most consider it a downtown facility. Donna also notes that it's mostly alltaxis that usually drop and pick people up, not many private cars.

Jim Comuzzi, Chair of the Waterfront District BIA tells us that the OLG Casino in Thunder Bay opened in 2000.

He had his doubts when talk of a casino coming to Thunder Bay's entertainment district started circulating. Therestaurant owner and vice-chair of the city's Business Improvement Area isn't a gambler and says he couldn't helpbut wonder how much money locals stood to lose. Thirteen years later, Mr. Comuzzi isn't as skeptical. In fact, heconsiders the casino a valuable community partner and a huge draw for the downtown. Jim says, "I can tell you aa BIA, we would fight to keep this downtown."

Partnerships were developed with hotels, businesses, restaurants and the downtown saw that the Casino wasworking hard in bringing people to take in the whole experience of the area. The Casino now is a great downtownpartner and brings much to the table for the downtown.

"For 15 years we have had no issues with the casino, either with parking or traffic. We feel they are a good partne

willing to help, plan and participate in the BIA activities".

The casino was a trigger for development. The Waterfront District of Thunder Bay was described as being

anchored by a dated mall that struggled with high vacancy. In 2000, the Keskus Harbour Mall was reopened as a

casino. The casino is credited with kick-starting an award-winning downtown revitalization. Since 2000, the

Waterfront District has attracted a water park, new marina, skating rink, art gallery, restaurants, bars, condos, and

a hotel.

From the Sudbury Star in 2012: "

"Not only does it bring people down, but the people that are employed at the casino eat here, shop in the

downtown area and go to the local watering holes in our area. It's not only the people that are coming to gamble,

it's the people that work in the casinos, that are helping our downtown core thrive."

"We have made this more of an attraction to the downtown," he says. "You've got to use the tools you've been

given and we've used it? I can tell you as a (Business Improvement Area), we would fight to keep this downtown."


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Brantford "There is a direct line between the casino and the revitalization of downtown". Mayor

Casino profits allowed a performance grant program to be set up for about 7 years that provided up to 25% of the value of project to significantly renovate old buildings. This helped bring up residential density in the downtown.

The investments continued in post-secondary education facilities as 2 University and 2 Colleges have programs inthe downtown with this investment capital.

No issues with crime or the other things people assumed would happen with a casino, if anything, it is reducedwith more people downtown. More eyes on the street and movement help in that regard.

On the whole the casino has had a very positive impact on Brantford's downtown according to Annette. Morerestaurants and services have been created and retail has stayed about the same.

"The benefits are not really foot traffic but the way the revenue from the casino is invested into improvingdowntown" say's Prang. "It brings dedicated employees who are living and working downtown" he adds "creatinghuge dividends".

Mayor Chris Friel initially a casino opponent said "there is a direct line between the casino and the revitalizationof downtown".

Windsor BIA

No issues traffic wise, no issues that some people equate to a casino. The downtown would see some spill overmainly thanks to the 600 employees. The casino has 6 restaurants, a nightclub and a pub inside casino that doescompete with the downtown compliment.

Moncton- "It should have been in the downtown"

Anne Poirier Basque, the executive director of Moncton BIA has a casino just outside of her downtown.They regret the casino being build a "$20 cab ride from the downtown". She say's "it should have been in thedowntown".

People go to the casino and then go home with little spinoff to the downtown. They have two restaurants insidethe casino and they are usually full.

Moncton BIA initiated an very successful annual comedy festival in February, which was copied by the casino asthe casino could afford to bring in renowned comedy acts that directly competed with the BIA's festival, creatingan adverse effect.

They are a huge competition for the entertainment dollar. They shuttle our hotel guests to the casino from ourdowntown. All the taxis are at the casino after a show and not in the downtown, it's frustrating to the bars. "Wehate the current location" Anne says, adding "coliseums, arenas, casino's need to be in downtowns". They receiveno compensation to their BIA.


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London- "It draws people away from the downtown"

London has had a slots facility at its fairgrounds in a location outside the downtown. Kathy McLaughlin, managerof the MainStreets program run through the London DBIA, says the facility continues to expand its entertainmentoptions, including more concerts, a food and wine show, trade shows, and multiple arenas. It’s in a partnershipwith the agriculture society on the fairgrounds and pays no property tax.

“If they had a hotel, we would be more scared,” she says.

She says the slots have formed a very wealthy businesses district as other businesses have located around it tobenefit from the regional draw and big-budget marketing. Its central location does bring people away from thehighway and the big box nodes at the north and south ends of the city, but she says it also draws people away fromthe downtown.

Woodstock- "It still does present competition with downtown businesses".

Woodstock has a slots and racetrack facility in a central location, though at 1.6 KM from the downtown it is not awalking distance. The downtown BIA considers it a good relationship with the OLG in that the OLG gives back tothe community through downtown event sponsorships and community grants. The facility is successful in pulling

people away from the highway and the commercial nodes along the 401 and drawing them further into the city,though it does still present competition with downtown businesses.


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dbia downtown casino report

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