|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
August 25, 2003 | |
Author: |
Mario Lee | |
Phone No.: |
604-871-6034 | |
RTS No.: |
3567 | |
CC File No.: |
2633 | |
Meeting Date: |
September 9, 2003 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Director of Social Planning |
SUBJECT: |
Casino Relocation in Richmond: Effects on the City of Vancouver |
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council instruct the City Clerk to communicate to the City of Richmond that the City of Vancouver considers that it will not be materially affected by the proposed relocation of a casino (with slots) in the City of Richmond.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
There is no Council policy related to casino relocations in other surrounding municipalities.
PURPOSE
This report informs Council about a proposed response to the City of Richmond on whether the City of Vancouver will be materially affected by a proposed relocation of a casino (with slots) within Richmond (the Great Canadian Casino presently located at Number 3 Road will be relocated to 881/883 River road, the former Bridgepoint market site). The report recommends that the relocation of the Richmond casino will not materially affect the City of Vancouver.
The report also provides a summary of the specifics of the proposed casino development of the Great Canadian Casino at Bridgepoint on River Road in North Richmond.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
On July 29, 2003, Council instructed staff to report back with an analysis of whether Vancouver will be materially affected by a proposed casino (with slots) relocation in the City of Richmond. The request for a response arrived on July 23, 2003, and solicited a response from the City of Vancouver prior to August 31, 2003. Staff did not have time to prepare an appropriate response prior to the summer break, and, therefore, Council instructed staff to report back on September 9, 2003, with a proposed response.
The letter received from the City of Richmond (attached as Appendix A), indicates that the Great Canadian Casino presently located at Number 3 Road, will be relocated to 881/883 River Road, the former Bridgepoint Market site.
This request responds to a requirement in the Gaming Control Act. Section 19 (1)(b) of the Act that a host municipality must consult with "each municipality, regional district or first nation that is immediately adjacent or that the lottery corporation considers will be materially affected by the gaming facility or proposed gaming facility and its location, relocation or substantial change, as the case may be."
The provincial gaming regulations describe "materially affected" as meaning that an adjacent municipality "will incur significant new infrastructure or policing costs, experience increased traffic or experience a significant adverse impact on the amenities and character of one or more of its neighbourhoods." (Section 11, BC Gaming Control Regulations).
The relocation of the Great Canadian Casino from Number 3 Road to Bridgepoint is part of the regional casino relocation plan being implemented by the BC Lottery Corporation. The City of Richmond approved this relocation on March 17, 2003. The proposed site will accommodate a full service casino with table games and slot machines, which is scheduled to be open by May, 2004. The final number of slot machines will be decided by the BC Lottery Corporation in accordance with their estimate of market needs in the region. The proposed development also includes a 200 suite hotel, food services, a 650-seat dinner theatre, a conference area, a fitness centre, and a marina (already existing). The site will also accommodate Great Canadian Casino's Head Office. As a result of this relocation, the Vancouver-based Great Canadian Casino at the Renaissance Hotel will cease operations.
City staff has reviewed the information provided by the City of Richmond and has concluded that the relocation of the Great Canadian casino from Number 3 Road to Bridgepoint will not materially affect the City of Vancouver.
Comments from the City's Engineering Department indicate that traffic in Vancouver will not be materially affected by the relocation of the Great Canadian casino from Number 3 Road to Bridgepoint, and there would be no change to infrastructure as a result. The new location is approximately the same distance from Vancouver as the current location. The infrastructure (i.e. bridge crossings) is provided at senior-government expense, and according to City and regional plans, they are not to be expanded. Transit service is already well established in the corridor. Accordingly, no significant adverse impact is anticipated from traffic related to the proposed relocation.
Comments received from the Vancouver Police Department indicate that the relocation of the Great Canadian Casino will not materially impact the operations of the Vancouver Police Department and will not incur any new or additional costs for the Department.
CONCLUSION
The report explains to Council that in the view of staff, the relocation of the Richmond casino will not materially affect the City of Vancouver.
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APPENDIX A
