Rideau Carleton Raceway is the right place for casino: mayor
Posted Jun 4, 2013 03:26:28 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA, Ont. – Mayor Jim Watson says the Rideau Carleton Raceway is the “only acceptable location” for a new casino in Ottawa. OLG had declined the City’s request for a downtown casino plus a satellite operation at Rideau Carleton.
Watson is tabling a motion at Tuesday’s Finance and Economic Development Committee meeting.
Watson told 1310News he didn’t want to risk closing the Raceway by opening a downtown casino.
“It’s a different clientele I think that would go to the race track and the slots that perhaps would go to the downtown and we didn’t want to lose that opportunity for those people who want to go gaming,” Watson said.
Rideau ward councillor Scott Moffatt stood by Rideau Carleton Raceway through the whole process. He tells 1310News, the City’s message wasn’t sinking in.
“I don’t think the OLG really cared about what we were saying at that time,” Moffatt said. “Even when we put forward the motion about elevating the RCR in their selection process.”
Watson adds, “at the end of the day we thought it was important to keep Rideau Carleton in the mix, and we just didn’t have the assurance it was going to happen under the modernization plan.”
Watson says if this is approved, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to the OLG.
The move is being applauded by the harness racing industry. Ed McHale with the Harness Horse Association tells 1310News, more is needed.
“We need additional announcements from the Premier’s office and the agricultural ministry about horse racing,” McHale said. “Because they now need to restore our purse pool.”
The purse pool was cut when the Ontario government cancelled the Slots at the Racetracks program. McHale says the industry is hurting due to less races on the schedule and smaller purses.
