Edgewater Casino may shut down if B.C. Place proposal rejected, Paragon Gaming warns city
A representative of Paragon Gaming has informed Vancouver city council that the Edgewater Casino could close in 2013 if a proposal to move the facility to B.C. Place is not approved.
In a letter today (March 14), Paragon secretary John Cahill told Mayor Gregor Robertson and councillors that the casino’s “ability to stay at the Plaza of Nations past 2013 is negated” by three factors, including Canadian Metropolitan Properties’ goal of redeveloping the site.
“Council should consider the near term future of the existing Edgewater beyond February, 2013 is highly uncertain given the inability to achieve a lease term extension and, more importantly, pending operational impacts caused by development of CMP’s site,” Cahill wrote.
“Accordingly, the flow of gaming revenues to the City and the permanence of over 600 jobs which currently exist at Edgewater are not guaranteed, and Council needs to understand that as it considers its decision on this application.”
Here’s the full letter:
Paragon Gaming letter to Vancouver city council - March 14, 2011
You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.
Comments
22 Comments
LTD.Edition
Mar 14, 2011 at 4:22pm
Resorting to threats. Ha. I'm sure if it closes people will go to one of the many other betting establishments around the city. Not only that but they'd be closing down a rather profitable business (when does that happen?).
I say call the bluff. At worse we'll have people lose their jobs but thats why we have EI and other programs to help people find new jobs (Worked for me).
analytic
Mar 14, 2011 at 4:38pm
Terrific idea..we don't need these people.
urbn
Mar 14, 2011 at 4:47pm
If this is such a lucrative business, why do you close? I guess when when you look like you're losing...you threaten. Classy!
Dan Clay
Mar 14, 2011 at 5:29pm
boo hoo take your money and run, you had no interest in supplying jobs,, it would seem
if plans to close
are yours... if you dont get your way,,
make room for ethical corporations to come here, and I know there are some...
Piker
Mar 14, 2011 at 6:28pm
Good, Great Canadian or Gateway will be happy to pick up the pieces...
NDB
Mar 14, 2011 at 6:36pm
Thanks for the "warning'...now pack up and fcuk off.
Don in Victoria
Mar 14, 2011 at 7:22pm
Casinos make such exhorbitant amounts of money that none will ever close anywhere. Call Paragon Gaming's bluff.
Norman
Mar 14, 2011 at 9:11pm
GOOD!
KMB
Mar 14, 2011 at 10:19pm
What NDB said.
pippatch
Mar 14, 2011 at 10:36pm
Can you spell B-L-A-C-K-M-A-I-L
Close the door on your way out!