New casino? - Page 18

SteelTown · #**341** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 7:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

Now Hamilton is being blackmailed by GS/Live Nation! Apparently they missed the Rock Hammer announcement/press conference.

What a clusterfcuk.

It sets up a scary situation. What if there's a proposal to build a downtown bar with a stage. Will Global Sectrum and Live Nation make another announcement asking for more subsidy relief from their contract?

At the same time I can't believe we have strong downtown advocates requesting the Province to amen the Greenbelt legislation. *facepalm*

bigguy1231 · #**342** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 7:55 PM**

So now one private business is going to dictate what other private businesses can build on "their turf". Tell global/live nation to get stuffed.

markbarbera · #**343** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 8:21 PM**

Curious how Global Spectrum/Live Nation quite happily signed off on the HECFI agreement yesterday, then one day later voice concerns about a casino stealing business from them. Shouldn't that have been discussed prior to signing off on the agreement? Surely they aren't so out of touch with this city that they didn't hear about a possible casino until today. This is nothing more than theatrics.

coalminecanary · #**344** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 8:30 PM**

What a mess. More and more businesses are obviously becoming aware that city council is incompetent at negotiating and will bend to just about any ultimatum.

movingtohamilton · #**345** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 8:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

...This is nothing more than theatrics.

Hope you're right! But is there the maturity within Hamilton council and staff to see through this, and tell GS/LN there will be no subsidy relief based on competition?

durandy · #**346** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 8:46 PM**

people, calm. They made a little threat of legal action in hopes of influencing council. It's not a mess or a 'fustercluk'. It's a ploy.

What's more interesting to me is that Carmens and GS/LN partnered on the bid, didn't they?

movingtohamilton · #**347** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 9:14 PM**

durandy, do you have confidence in council not falling for the ploy? why did councillor Farr make this such a drama?

coalminecanary · #**348** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 9:31 PM**

Problem is, these ploys (tantrums, etc) work. That's why we are spending millions of dollars to build a smaller stadium rotated 90 degrees instead of something, you know, GOOD.

Et cetera.

movingtohamilton · #**349** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 9:38 PM**

We're in the Twilight Zone. Hamilton has until 2015 to make a decision. Merulla is apoplectic.

coalminecanary · #**350** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 9:47 PM**

Everything about this OLG "modernization" is a nightmare.

This is ripping the citizens apart almost as badly as amalgamation did.

The divide is turning what should be fury against the OLG into infighting - and it's probably what they were counting on all along.

bigguy1231 · #**351** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 9:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by coalminecanary

Everything about this OLG "modernization" is a nightmare.

This is ripping the citizens apart almost as badly as amalgamation did.

The divide is turning what should be fury against the OLG into infighting - and it's probably what they were counting on all along.

The only people who seem to be upset are the handful of anti casino people who seem to be screaming the loudest. Most people I have talked to either don't care or if they do care they want it downtown. Other than on the various forums and blogs I have yet to meet anyone who is opposed to a casino.

SteelTown · #**352** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 12:06 AM**

http://read.thespec.com/#!/article/5...1eaced2e095c30

And it's done. Let the RFP process begin. Meanwhile lets focus on LRT.

SteelTown · #**353** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 12:41 AM**

Seems like it was a poly from Farr

@YHBMarkC: LiveNation, Global Spectrum caught off guard by Farr statement http://t.co/HDWwVmnH @MarkCripps @YourHBiz

Jon Dalton · #**354** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 12:51 AM**

Good delay tactic, if nothing else. What is to stop interested bidders from simply waiting for the Flamborough RPF to fall on deaf ears, knowing full well Council will reconsider downtown. If there are proposals for Flamborough, what is to stop OLG from denying them, knowing full well that more lucrative downtown proposals lie in waiting?

SteelTown · #**355** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 1:23 AM**

Casino must follow Greenbelt: Wynne

Premier Kathleen Wynne says the City of Hamilton will have to meet laws governing the Greenbelt if it backs locating a casino at Flamboro Downs.

Supporters of a casino for the downtown have raised the argument that the Greenbelt will restrict development of a casino at the Highway 5 facility. The Greenbelt protects 7,000 square kilometres from Niagara Falls to Peterborough. It is only open for the development of roads, aggregate extraction, golfing, skiing and farming.

“Whatever decision the city makes, it is going to have to be consistent with the Greenbelt legislation and with the provincial policy statement,” the premier said Thursday in a teleconference call with Hamilton and Niagara reporters.
“They will have to make sure they conform to all of those provincial policies ... We’ll be very clear that all of those rules have to be followed.”

She said “all that will be looked at” when city council sends the province a resolution on where it wants to site the casino, under the modernization project of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.

http://m.thespec.com/news/local/arti...reenbelt-wynne

bornagainbiking · #**356** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 11:30 AM**

Historically Hamilton city council has missed the mark on important issues only to see the benefits years latter.
If at a meeting they were to decide (if they got that far) to order pizza they would starve to death. It would take forever to try and figure out the choice of toppings.
It took 50 years to go from idea to completion of the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
My point of concern is if they are sooooo concerned about preserving the land and saving valuable farmland why are they even entertaining the idea of Flamborough.
Environmentally downtown is only logical. Closer to the people and less driving, on the bus route, cheap taxi ride. Easy for infrastructure and expansion.
Use the brownfields.
Nooooo, put it out in the country and make people drive. No wonder people who like to frequent these locations take a designated bus to Niagara or Rama.
And if you want to expand out there destroy more farm land.
Where are all the granola bars who should be enraged on this proposal.
You know, do what ever you like as I seriously doubt council listens to the people.
If you want employment in the city why put it out there so people have to have a car to work there. Put it downtown and entry level employees can take public transit.
We need some stuff downtown to provide options for entertainment for conferences and conventions. Or extra stuff for people in town for a concert and stay an extra day or two. Now they can catch a movie in a second rate theatre in Jackson Square.
Wake up!

CaptainKirk · #**357** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 1:23 PM**

Still readin and learning all I can to tey make the best informed opinion that I can.

So far I'm leaning towards NO. Not a firm, adamant NO, mind you.

I remain unconvinced that a downtown casino is good for the city.

Still willing to be convinced.

realcity · #**358** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 4:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

The only people who seem to be upset are the handful of anti casino people who seem to be screaming the loudest. Most people I have talked to either don't care or if they do care they want it downtown. Other than on the various forums and blogs I have yet to meet anyone who is opposed to a casino.

This is my observation as well. People are saying downtown needs it, Hamilton needs the jobs.

CaptainKirk · #**359** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by realcity

This is my observation as well. People are saying downtown needs it, Hamilton needs the jobs.

Funny: My experience is thew opposite. Most people I know are against it being downtown.

Does the city need casino jobs?

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/stor...t-poverty.html

http://www.livingin-canada.com/salar...ns-canada.html

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/stor...no-claims.html

markbarbera · #**360** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 5:49 PM**

I would suggest to anyone fearful of a casino's impact on downtown to read through the Downtown Casino Benefits Analysis which was included as Appendix F in the city repoprt. It does a good job of doing a detailed analysis of six cities that have a downtown casino and how it has affected local businesses.