Loading...
06/22/2017 The City of Niagara Falls, Ontario Resolution June 22, 2017 Moved by: Councillor Thomson Seconded by: Councillor Morocco WHEREAS Niagara's two resort casinos are now included in the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation's OLG modernization framework; and WHEREAS being part of the OLG's modernization framework will allow Niagara's two resort casinos to realize their true, full potential to become compelling and integral elements in attracting tourists to the city of Niagara Falls; and WHEREAS in order to ensure that Niagara's Casinos retain their role as a vital local and regional employer, and build upon their role as a tourism attractor and generator of Provincial revenue, Niagara Falls City Council had respectfully requested by resolution on May 10, 2016 that the municipality play a significant role in the structuring of the Request for Pre Qualifications (RFPQ) and Request for Proposals (RFP), to ensure job retention and creation, economic development and investment are priorities and are weighted heavily in the selection process; and WHEREAS Niagara Falls City Council had respectfully requested by resolution on October 25, 2016 that to ensure the City's and Region's objectives of job retention and creation, investment and economic development are respected and incorporated into the process and weighted just as strongly as revenue or greater in the RFP and the municipality is involved in the structure of the RFPQ and RFP, Council strongly requests this RFPQ be post-poned until the City's goals and objectives are incorporated and we are treated as key partners in the process. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that The City of Niagara Falls explore all available legal avenues to cause Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation to bring an end to the ongoing flawed Request for Quotation (RFQ) process concerning the operating contracts for Casino Niagara and the Fallsview Casino Resort and to persuade the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation to honor the terms and spirit of the original agreements between the City of Niagara Falls and Ontario Lottery and Gaming wherein it was promised to the City of Niagara Falls that the casino(s) situated in the City of Niagara Falls, Casino Niagara and the Fallsview Casino Resort would be operated as drivers of the local economy of the City of Niagara Falls and in turn the entire Region of Niagara; and FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Niagara Falls will seek the assistance of and align with the Niagara Region in the pursuit of this goal; and FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that as the Niagara Casinos are the region's largest employer, which impact residents in all of Niagara's 12 communities, that this resolution be circulated to Niagara Regional Council and Niagara's municipal councils for their consideration and support." Carried Unanimously AND The Seal of the Corporation be hereto affixed. BILL MATSON JAMES M. DIODATI ACTING CITY CLERK MAYOR i i I 's r f