Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd. has asked that a section of southwest London be rezoned for a casino, but the move has deadlocked London’s City Council and been defeated in committee.
The full council will still vote on the matter. The requests ask that two spots on Wonderland Road between Wharncliffe Road and Bradley Avenue be rezoned for a casino.
Supporting the rezoning is Mayor Ed Holder, who said London has a lot to lose if the rezoning isn’t approved.
“We lose $80 million in construction, we lose 1,000 jobs—700 brand new—plus the indirect jobs nobody talks about,” he said, according to CDC Gaming Reports. “Annually, we lose $4.5 million of OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.) revenue sharing. We lose $2.5 million of brand-new taxes.”
Holder said surrounding communities have also shown interest in the casino and added that he is optimistic that the full council will offer its approval.
“If it doesn’t, like any business, Gateway has a choice, and it doesn’t have to be London,” he told the website. “To me, the doomsday scenario is that it isn’t London, and instead of being north of Highway 401, they go south of the 401.”
However, Ward 11 Councillor Stephen Turner, who opposes the rezoning, said he isn’t as concerned that Gateway would abandon London as a site. “Those neighboring communities haven’t started any of this process yet so they wouldn’t be in the position to quickly execute on it. I think London is miles ahead with respect to the process that needs to be done,” said Turner.
Turner feels more consultation is needed on one of the most nuanced issues facing council members.
“The City of London has bent over backwards to support Gateway. To just say, ‘Let’s give them whatever they want,’ I don’t think that’s quite appropriate,” he said. “I think we need to look at it with a critical eye and make sure all the questions are answered.”
Gateway operates dozens of casinos across the country, with its most recent opening in Chatham-Kent in mid-July.
