Comment 82962

By Pupster (registered) | Posted November 16, 2012 at 09:16:18

What would a casino bring to us in the lower city? I've travelled to many cities that have casinos, and the casino areas are utilarian, almost industrial in nature. The casino buildings are closed off, with no windows, and the surrounding areas are not glamorous at all. Why? Because nobody wants to live beside a casino. Casinos operate 24 hours a day. Casinos have their own food and drinking facilities inside, and gamblers do not leave the building when they feel that winning streak coming on. Casinos are not part of the community; they are insular. Most visitors from outside the city itself will drive to the casino snarling up our streets. Local gamblers who come on foot or via bus tend to be poorer people; money spent gambling is money NOT spent on groceries or clothing.

We can also say goodbye to condo development or other housing nearby. Nobody will open a restaurant beside, or near a casino. Local businesses will suffer, and then close. Have we heard council talking about increased parking requirements or road congestion in downtown Hamilton? Nope. We could see a donut-hole area of parked cars around the casino where nothing else lives or breathes.

I suggest that Council take a look at reports from other cities with casinos. Check out the depression of the surrounding areas, and don't force us to just accept, open-mouthed and incredulous, that a downtown casino will bring us untold millions of dollars to spend. The desperately broke Ontario Government just wants more profits from legalized gambling than they are currently getting, and will strong-arm us to help balance their books.

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