The report does not provide a definitive recommendation on hosting a casino, but outlines 43 Mayor Rob Ford answers questions about his support of a casino in Toronto during the Toronto casino proposal seeks bigger share of revenues.
When the City and province rejected this bid, Godfrey accused them of hypocrisy, noting the contradiction of dismissing a casino when few were bothered by the games of chance on the midway, which included crown and anchor games involving money. Forty charities were drawn out of a hat to be the beneficiaries of the casino, which set up shop that year in a room within Exhibition Stadium. Until the current round of casino discussions, proposals involving Exhibition Place continued to emerge. These would feature midways and degree theatres. Community Services wanted half of the profits of a Toronto casino to go towards improving social programs. If history is any indication, the odds of anything actually happening aren't good. He was convinced casinos would draw more conventions to town. And now we have all the current proposals. The proposal called for 50 blackjack tables and eight wheels of fortune to be placed in a renovated annex of the Coliseum. Eggleton was a consistent opponent. The chief opponent was Art Eggleton, who, as both an alderman and as mayor, believed the idea tarnished the CNE. An idea to move the charity casino into the Ontario Government Building now the Liberty Grand was seen as an attempt to impress the province. After casino legislation was passed in , Premier Bob Rae insisted that the priority was to see how the pilot project in Windsor went before considering proposals for casinos elsewhere. Click here to learn more. In early , the province contemplated setting up six permanent casinos across Ontario. Given the lengthy battles Exhibition Place fought for a temporary casino, it would be crazy to rule it out as a possible site for a permanent one. But CNE officials and charities that would benefit from a casino raised such a stink that the issue was reconsidered. As casinos become more commonplace in North America, this unique selling proposition and tourist demand generator will be an expected attraction in a community. Events like a mass rally of nearly charitable organizations at Exhibition Place had the desired effect: on June 24, , the executive committee supported the new application. Metro Toronto was slated for two. Despite discussions with the federal government, the idea was rejected by the province, which wanted Niagara Falls as the site of its next casino. Duron described a future where no city could afford to go without a gaming centre. He was eventually the only member of the Exhibition Place board of governors to vote against its application for a gaming area. I think it detracts from the family-type atmosphere of the fair. Source: the Toronto Star , August 31, Source: the Toronto Star , September 10, {/INSERTKEYS}{/PARAGRAPH} Exhibition Place and Woodbine Racetrack were the frontrunners. He claimed the province held two sets of values—puritanical for Toronto, relaxed everywhere else. In February , Metro Council voted 18 to 15 against locating a casino here. The current debate over a permanent Toronto casino has roots in past battles, especially when it comes to allowing gambling at Exhibition Place. To improve its odds, the CNE focused its application on charity. CNE officials hoped a casino run during the Ex would fight declining attendance and revenue. Ontario Government Building, September 3, Photo by Alfred Pearson. {PARAGRAPH}{INSERTKEYS}The province wants to build a casino in Toronto. A CNE board casino proposal touted the use of profits to fund public transit and waterfront projects. By Jamie Bradburn. When it comes to Toronto, the house odds have not favoured the gaming industry. The obstacle was persuading opponents that a small gaming room was not the start of a slippery slope towards the horrors associated with gambling. Starting with the Western Fair in , the province permitted licensing of gaming rooms at large fairs. Metro Toronto council, chaired by current casino-pusher Paul Godfrey, backed the plan.