2005/04/04 The City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Council Chambers
No. 3 April 4, 2005
Moved by Alderman KERRIO
Seconded by Alderman VOLPATTI
WHEREAS according to the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation (OLGC), one of the key goals
of introducing gaming in the Province of Ontario was to stimulate tourism development; and
WHEREAS Casino gaming in Niagara Falls has been the catalyst for economic growth,job creation
and the revitalization of Niagara's tourism sector; and
VVHEREAS Mr. Duncan Brown,Chief Executive Officer of OLGC stated "we have to be more than
cash generation. It is about contributing to the economic fabric of the Province in ways that may not
show up on the OLGC financial statement"; and
WHEREAS since the opening of Casino Niagara in 1996, the private sector, in Niagara Falls and
the Region, has invested in excess of $2 billion in tourism related development; and
WHEREAS this amount of private sector investment has been unmatched, anywhere in Canada,
where gaming has been introduced; and
WHEREAS the Provincial government has not made a final decision on its long-term plans for the
future of Casino Niagara, now that the Fallsview Casino Resort opened; and
WHEREAS the closure of Casino Niagara would signal a lack of confidence by the Ontario
Government in one of the Province's premier tourism destinations; and
WHEREAS thc incremental impacts to date attributable to the operation of two casinos will be at
risk; and
WHEREAS the closure of Casino Niagara would mean the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars
in proposed development by the private sector; and
WHEREAS the closure of Casino Niagara would eliminate 1,700 direct jobs; and
WHEREAS the closure of Casino Niagara would cripple the multi-nodal development which has
occurred in the City of Niagara Falls; and
WHEREAS the closure of Casino Niagara would create a "black hole" effect at the Fallsview
Casino; and
WHEREAS the closure of Casino Niagara will mean the loss of key ridership demand for the
proposed People Mover System; and
WHEREAS the closure of Casino Niagara will erode new capital investment and business viability
in the Clifton Hill- Victoria Centre area; and
WHEREAS PKF Consulting has completed a study on the economic benefits of maintaining two
casinos in Niagara Falls; and
WHEREAS the PKF study outlines the economic dangers of closing Casino Niagara.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that because of the obvious economic benefits, the Provincial
government be urged to make a long-term commitment to Casino Niagara; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that a commitment of 20 years to Casino Niagara by the Province
will continue to encourage economic investment, especially in the Clifton Hill- Victoria Centre area;
and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that a copy of the PKF report be forwarded to Mr. Duncan Brown,
Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that Mr. Duncan Brown be urged to present the PKF report to the
Cabinet for their deliberations.
AND The Seal of the Corporation be hereto affixed.