From the Niagara Falls Review:
Mayor Ted Salci should be in a New York State of mind once he finds out how much more generous the Empire State is to Niagara Falls, N.Y., than Ontario is to this city. The American city gets about six times as much cash for hosting its casino as its Ontario neighbour does – for hosting two.
The Niagara Gazette reported last week that Niagara Falls, N.Y. is to receive US$23.5 million as the city’s share of Seneca Niagara Casino revenue since 2006. That’s $14.4 million for 2006 and $9.1 million for the first half of 2007…
One headline talked about “paving the streets with casino gold.”
The American city has a US$81.4 million budget for 2007. That’s very close to the C$82.1 million Niagara Falls, Ont. planned to spend this year.
Here in Niagara Falls, Ont., the Ontario Lottery and Gaming corporation gives this city $2.6 million a year for hosting both Casino Niagara and the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort. That amount will go up to $3 million for the first time in 2008.
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I completely agree that hosting two casino should result in double the funding for the city. Since the provincial books have been balanced, now is the perfect time.
Although getting money is always nice, I’ve never quite understood the concept behind cities getting funding for ‘hosting’ casinos. They are, first and foremost, a business with the purpose of making a profit for it’s owner, which just happens to be the Ontario Gov’t. They paid their development fees and also pay their property taxes each year like any other business, but are also required to share part of their revenue. The city doesn’t require Marineland or Niagara Parks (another Ontario Gov’t agency) to share their profits, why are the casino’s different.
When the idea that a casino might be built here first came up, I don’t think that there were very many people who said we don’t want it unless we get part of the revenue. I’m sure there are many cities that would love to have our casinos even if they didn’t get a cent. They have been the catalyst for tremendous development in this city, a worth that far outweighs any monetary renumeration. The city was in a frenzy at the thought of losing Casino Niagara, and then we turn around and want more money? I think we should leave well enough alone and enjoy the benefits we have.
Wait a second…Casino Niagara’s future hasn’t been confirmed 100% yet has it? Is it for sure staying? If so when did that get decided?
No, it isn’t official yet Niagara. That was my point, we’re scared to death of losing a casino, but keep wanting more money to have it!!
Isn’t the deadline to extend the CN lease sometime in March? If thats the case, thats not a good sign.
It’d be nice to have two (or three) Niagara Falls, Ont casinos… if they have the business to support them.
But for Niagara Falls, USA to boast about their revenue… they have to be joking. If they get any money in their hands, it’ll be squandered away in petty stuff that will NOT have any effect on tourism. New buildings? Rennovated facades? Improved park infrastructure? Hardly.
It’ll be squandered on the schools, city-hall, city parks, and other junk that downtown tourism will never see…. it’s their history, why would they change?
At least whatever money Niagara Falls, Ont gets… they know what to do right with it (except their actual downtown).
If Casino Niagara was to leave (I thought I heard definitely they were staying but, I could be wrong) I wonder what they would do with that space. Thinking about it remember the great times I had at Mapleleaf village. Here is an idea my 15 year old niece had. Make it a Mapleleaf type village but with some different aspects. In Wildwood NJ they have arcade equipped with slot machines for any age only they pay in tickets which can be redeemed. Add the usual fudge store, Laser tag, Another indoor waterpark, haunted house, a few restaurants, bumper cars, virtual 4d rides etc. Take what is out on Clifton hill and bring it inside.
think about this…
the americans are more than double the amount of gamblers than us. The americans keep losing more money than we’d expect, so it results in their casino earning more money…
As I see it Drafty, casinos in Ontario are used to provide revenue for the government, apart from the other benefits they provide. The Ontario government makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year while Niagara Falls only receives $2.6 million to use. It’s not as if the money is leaving the province, it’s just that it is now concretated in a specific area.