Two Moncton casino proposals already in works
Anonymous American backer proposes Metro-area casino 'anywhere but downtown'; Verdiroc to pursue downtown complex
by Rod Allen
Times & Transcript staff
Published Saturday November 10th, 2007
Appeared on page A1
Less than 24 hours after the New Brunswick government released a gaming policy that says there can be only one destination gaming facility in New Brunswick, at least two proponents are already in the running for a casino in Moncton and they have completely different visions for going forward.
Toronto-based Verdiroc has long proposed a casino centred on the former Beaver Lumber Property in downtown Moncton, an eight-acre property on which it holds an option and which could possibly be wedded with other downtown properties along city's new Boulevard Assomption.
But a second group called 'Chateau Royale,' representing an unidentified American backer said to have huge financial resources, is looking at three or four locations "somewhere in the Greater Moncton area."
Downtown Moncton is not one of those locations, said David Hawkins, vice-president of Color/Coleur (formerly CCL) which represents Chateau Royale.
Hawkins said it is too soon to identify the New England-based investor behind Chateau Royale, but the local group has been working on its proposal with Moncton City Council for the past 18 months.
Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton would neither confirm nor deny that yesterday, saying his interpretation of the new gaming policy is that it is now strictly 'hands off' as far as municipal government involvement goes with any group proposing to build a casino in the province.
However, Mitton did not close the door on a non-downtown location, either.
"All we have said as a council in the past is that if there is going to be a casino built in New Brunswick, we'd like it to be built here, somewhere within the City of Moncton," said the mayor.
According to Hawkins, the American backer has no interest in a downtown location based on research it has done building casinos all over the United States.
"The gaming policy calls for a destination resort facility which is the concept that we have proposed," said Hawkins, "and it would not be possible for the downtown core to host such a facility. It would take a lot more geography than is available in the downtown."
Past discussions about downtown redevelopment in Moncton -- mostly centred on a convention centre that might include a casino among other options -- has suggested that Beaver Lumber could be developed in conjunction with other downtown land.
But Hawkins said research done all over North America, some of it on behalf of his client, states that "downtown-located gaming facilities attract significantly more social problems and we know that that does not meet the requirements of the new gaming policy.
"A destination resort in the downtown means you can't meet the policy's tourism objective or the policy's (responsible gaming) social objective or, in other words, the policy's 'positive economic impact' objective," said Hawkins.
Completely untrue, said Kevin Green of Verdiroc, who reached the Times & Transcript from Toronto yesterday but who was in Moncton meeting with city officials the day the policy was released.
A casino located in Moncton anywhere but the downtown "would destroy the city," said Green yesterday.
"We propose a convention centre, a parking garage, hotels, restaurants and a casino," said Green; "putting a casino on the edge of town simply ruins all of that."
Green said Verdiroc is "100 per cent committed" to a downtown development project that includes all those elements but could not release any more details for the time being as Verdiroc's officers "are still digesting the contents of the policy."
Hawkins would not identify Chateau Royale's preferred sites other than to say there are three or four locations "within the Greater Moncton area."
"There would be significant hotel associates with this, restaurants, shops, swimming pools, a spa and a variety of other amenities all of which require a great many acres," a lot more than are available downtown."
Hawkins said Chateau Royale "has spoken to the municipal government in Moncton "on many occasions and we have their full support and co-operation to advance our plans."
However, "I don't think we have their full support exclusively," he added. "There may be other proponents they want to talk to, that's their choice."
Indeed many more players might emerge between now and the March 11, 2008 deadline for proposals to the New Brunswick Lotteries Commission, which is supposed to identify the successful proponent and the location of a 'destination gaming facility' somewhere in the province by the end of May.
Indeed the new policy requires dealings strictly between proponents and the province and municipalities are among the groups that are not allowed to submit proposals, but negotiations between proponents and whatever municipalities are located in the area they want to build will presumably be vital to a successful pitch.
Other proponents, in fact, are already rumoured to be in the running. One is reportedly looking at Fox Creek golf course in Dieppe and another beside Seaside Chev-Olds in Shediac, right beside ramp off Highway 15 (Veteran's) to Highway 11 connecting to Miramichi and the North Shore.
There are even downtown Moncton locations other than along Assomption that might be suitable.
Prominent local developer Richard Carpenter, who says he is not interested in being a proponent, nonetheless doesn't mind doing some idle speculation.
"Rather than trying to squeeze it into the (traditional) downtown, I'd look at putting it in Highfield Square," said Carpenter of the aging west downtown mall controlled by the Sobeys corporation.
"It's basically hollowed out with Sobeys moving out of there (the company is building a new supermarket next door along recently completed Vaughan Harvey Extension), there's plenty of room for a big hotel and it's right beside the Via station.
"How about a train of 'casino cars' coming down from Montreal, then pulling into the Moncton casino for a couple of nights on the weekend?"
Many such questions might be asked here between now and March 11.
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Feds won't fund river fix
N.B. premier told restoration 'ineligible' under $33-Billion infrastructure program
By Kate Wright
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday November 10th, 2007
Appeared on page A1
OTTAWA - The removal of the Petitcodiac River causeway has been given formal approval by the federal government, but that news is tempered by Ottawa's decision that restoring the river does not qualify under the federal government's cash-packed Building Canada infrastructure fund.
In a letter to Premier Shawn Graham made public yesterday, Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon quashed hopes of the Petitcodiac River restoration project receiving federal funds by saying the project is "ineligible" and doesn't meet the requirements of the multi-billion dollar program.
The letter gives no reason why the request is being denied.
"As such, funding for the project rightly rests with your government," Cannon's letter states.
That news was met with anger and disappointment yesterday by Supply and Services Minister Roly MacIntyre.
He said the restoration is one of his government's highest priorities and he believes the federal government has a role to play in the cleanup.
"We're not going to just walk away and say, 'Well, thanks for your letter,'" he said. "We will continue to pursue this at every opportunity."
Cannon's message means the provincial government may have to foot the entire $68-million bill to build the span if the project is to proceed.
The $68-million does not include the likelihood of additional costs for other work along river that would be needed in preparation for the river to flow.
MacIntyre said his government did not apply specifically under the Building Canada fund and was hoping to be considered under any program that could have funded the deal.
The fact that the bridge is ineligible under the Building Canada fund is confusing, as earlier this week, British Columbia received $2.2-billion under the same fund to invest in infrastructure projects like bridges.
Calls made to Cannon's office were not returned.
MacIntyre said he had been encouraged a deal would have been reached after political powerhouses such as Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn personally visited the river and commented that a fix was needed.
The federal government posted a swelling surplus of $14-billion this year -- one of the largest in Canadian history.
MacIntyre said the province has already committed to moving forward with the project even though it will likely mean shifting money around to afford it.
"We're only talking about $34-million contribution from a $33-billion fund -- it doesn't make a lot of sense," he said. "Any time that you have to fund something totally, it's a budget consideration."
Earlier this year, the province made their preferred option for restoration public, which will include removing the causeway and building a 280-metre bridge.
That option will achieve 82 per cent restoration of the river within 10 to 20 years. It will also increase the channel's width and depth, bringing it as close as possible to the pre-causeway environment.
The river's channel, originally 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) wide, has since shrunk to 80 metres (263 feet).
The federal government contributed to a multi-year, multi-million dollar Environmental Impact Assessment that in 2005, which found that the status quo couldn't remain and the river needed to be restored.
The federal government's response to the province's restoration plan is puzzling, said MacIntyre.
"When you look at it, the federal government has been at the table all along," said MacIntyre. "They were there for the EIA, they were there way back when the project was constructed."
Interview requests for regional minister Greg Thompson were denied yesterday.
Petitcodiac Riverkeeper Michel Desjardins said the federal government has removed any legal hurdles the province may have run into during the restoration by approving the causeway's removal under the Fisheries and Navigable Waters Protection Acts.
However, he said it is mind-boggling that after decades of pressuring the provincial government to decide on an option to restore rushing waters to the river, they would so quickly turn their backs on it.
The federal government originally approved the construction of the causeway, which blocks fish passage to about half of the river system, causing significant damage to the ecosystem, including the loss of several fish species.
The river has been named as one of the most endangered rivers in the world by a number of organizations including National Geographic and Earthwild International.
"The federal government has, at the very least, a moral obligation to contribute to funding," said Desjardins. "But we can't force them legally and at the end of the day, if they don't want to participate financially, it's the province's problem."
Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe MP Brian Murphy said he is angered by the government's decision to ignore one of the province's largest restoration projects in its history.
"It shows complete lack of regard by the federal government for a major environmental situation and shows discrimination between the situation of the Petitcodiac in Moncton and some lakes in Ontario and other projects they deem worthy," he said.
MacIntyre said he considers Cannon's letter to be a "pause" in the project -- not an end.
He said the province isn't going to give up and it will continue to be one of his government's biggest priorities in the upcoming legislative session.
"I can tell the people who live in the immediate area of the river that we are moving forward, period," he said.
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Deli Italien opens in Dieppe
Paul Street shop brings authentic Italian tastes to Metro Moncton
By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Friday November 9th, 2007
Appeared on page C2
Though his new Italian deli on Paul Street has only been open a few weeks, Fabio Scichilone has been in the food business for 17 years. Not bad for a guy who's only 34 years old.
First off, Fabio's been serving some of the food featured at the deli for the past year at the Dieppe Farmers Market. But his history with food goes back much further than that. "I've been working with my dad since I was 17," he said yesterday between customers at his already bustling new business.
And that has been a good pedigree indeed, as Fabio's father Tony Scichilone is something of a culinary legend in New Brunswick. Since he came to Canada in 1968, Tony has brought the taste of Italy to Tracadie, first in the dining room of his Riviera Motel and then at his restaurant Campagnola.
Now the Scichilones have followed the North Shore migration to Metro Moncton and it's time for the son to make his mark -- with a bit of starting out help from his dad.
It's a good start. The Deli Italien is quite likely the most authentic one you'll find in the Maritimes, even when you count a couple pretty good spots in Halifax.
Fabio's food service offers everything made in house. There are fresh pastas, vegetarian and meat lasagnas, pizza by the slice, stuffed peppers, paninis and meatballs big enough to play tennis with. He makes his own pesto and tiramisu, eggplant parmesan and veal cutlets.
"I go to the gym a lot and eat very healthy myself," Fabio said, "so I want to give my customers fresh, healthy foods without preservatives." A specialty is the aronchini, balls of saffron rice filled with meat and tomatoes, then rolled in Italian bread crumbs and fried in olive oil.
"That's right from Sicily," Fabio said. "My Aunt Maria came over three weeks ago and taught me how to make it and left me all her recipes."
Fabio also grinds 13 types of Italian sausage, the signature product of the business, including one made from New Brunswick buffalo meat and two made of salmon. The pesto salmon has been a particular hit at the farmers market and since many of his customers there have followed him to Paul Street, it's been selling well at the new shop as well.
"At the market people were always asking me where they could buy during the week, so now I've given them a place," Fabio said.
While the counter service offers more than enough to draw hungry people, the deli selection and dried goods are sure to be attractions too. There's an olive bar and dozens of different Italian products. Whether you want a 2.5 kg can of roasted yellow peppers or fine Italian espresso or white tuna packed in olive oil, Schichilone's can accommodate you.
In the cooler are dozens of imported cheeses and meats, many of which can't be otherwise found in the area. The prosciutto comes from San Daniele and the fiore di latte cheese has a freshness and texture that just might make you weep with joy.
Schichilone's has about a dozen bistro tables for those who want to eat in and Fabio is pursuing a liquor license so he can serve wine and beer. For now, there is coffee and soda, including a couple Italian brands, or San Pellegrino to wash it all down.
Hours for the time being are Tuesday to Saturday 11-7, with plans to extend them as Fabio hires and trains his new staff. There are also plans to hold cooking classes down the road as the business grows. The deli is located in the plaza next to the Paul Street Sobey's store between M&M Meat Shop and Danza Activewear.
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