I presume that the building is owned by Cam Johnstone, president of Delta Bingo and son of the late
John Johnstone -- who, with partner John Cameron, bought the building for $800,000 in 1996.
The Spec offered a glimpse of five of the pair's past holdings as part of 2001's Lament for a Downtown series. They once held the Century and Odeon theatres as well as parking lots at King William & Catharine, Hughson & Wilson and MacNab & Mulberry. (All were sold at a loss in 2000-2001.)
As big and unexpected as this news is, it's interesting that most other Delta Bingo holdings have converted to electronic gaming, that
GTA West Gaming Bundle RFPQ was released a little over a month ago, and that the 45 King East property was listed within it among the sites intending to participate in the OLG's
Charitable Bingo & Gaming Revitalization Initiative.
Anyone taking odds on a
Boardwalk Gaming angle?