A proposal to expand a casino in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) has been controversial from the beginning. This week, parties from both sides of the debate have made their voices heard, as the fate of the community, economy and the government’s plans are at stake.
Last year, the Vancouver government announced plans to expand Edgewater Casino as part of a $450-million project. The new version of the resort, if completed, would cover 680,000 square feet, increasing the casino size to 100,000 square feet and adding two hotels and five restaurants. That would make the resort approximately triple the size of its current state.
Those opposing the expansion have formed a group called “Vancouver not Vegas.” As you might imagine, their concern is that adding a casino of that size would be the first step toward turning the city of Vancouver into a Las Vegas-style gambling destination.
On Tuesday, approximately 200 people who support the casino expansion met in a public forum. The current casino’s lease with the Plaza of Nations expires in 2013 and they want to move to a new, larger site near BC Place stadium. Proponents of the move say that it would create jobs. Tamara Hicks, who works at Edgewater Casino, said that right now the casino provides approximately 600 jobs. “If the proposal goes through,” she said, “we are looking at upwards of 1,700 to 1,900 additional jobs.”
Some casino employees are worried about losing their jobs if there is no move. Proponents also pointed out that a larger resort with more amenities will lead to more revenue generated for the local economy and more tax revenue for the government.
Opponents of the casino held a public forum on Wednesday. There, they discussed the potential dangers of adding a casino that would be the largest in western Canada. Sandy Garossino, a member of “Vancouver not Vegas,” said that the casino causes problems with money laundering and a larger site would aid organized crime. Some opponents said that the amount of money it would bring to the economy has been overstated, thinking instead that it would take money away from other businesses.
Peter Ladner, a former Vancouver councilor, had perhaps the most reasonable voice of opposition. He said that “there has never been an examination of the impact of gambling in B.C. by anybody except an agency that benefits from gambling.” He called for an independent investigation should be conducted before a decision is made. Next week the city of Vancouver will begin public hearings on the subject.
