Quote:
Originally Posted by lrt's friend
I am looking at the Citizen archives and the debate concerning an Ottawa casino started in 1992 including at Rideau-Carleton as a result of Windsor being OK'd for a casino. The discussion about the possible opening of a casino in Hull started in 1993, so Ottawa had a slight head start. Obviously, Hull was much more decisive as they understood the potential economic benefits. As I recall, Ottawa politicians were only concerned about the downside of a casino possibly downtown, so it never was really seriously considered. As far as I recall, there was no specific location chosen. It never got that far, as has been the case with the most recent discussions of a new casino.
I am not sure also about the timing, but the bar scene in Hull died very suddenly when hours were harmonized with Ontario in order to end the lawlessness that was happening at closing time. The need of the casino revenue may have been pushed by the loss of bar business, but without the problems that the latter produced.
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I was not involved in the backrooms but I seem to recall that when there was talk of putting a casino in Hull it wasn't the city that was begging for it. Or at least, there wasn't unanimous support for it, and the idea was panned by lots of reasons from gambling addiction to a possible resurgence of nightlife-related crime to the fact that the vast majority of the proceeds would be going to Quebec City, and not the city and region.
Ultimately I am pretty sure the decision to build a casino here was made by the Quebec government and the Quebec government only.