City Dropped The Ball On Casino Downtown

Thursday, June 25, 2009 03:46 AM

We dropped the ball on not purchasing the Chances Gaming Centre down town and it should come back to haunt those people at city council who pooh- poohed the idea.

Here we had a building that rumours suggest cost about 14 million dollars to build . Add on the underground parking that the city paid 3 million for, (which by the way has more than sufficient parking stalls for the police) and we could have picked it up for I am told around 4 million. Ten million in renovations and we have a building three times the size of the existing structure for 14 million and we have a piece of property down town worth another 4 million.

While we may never know who voted against the idea of buying the facility, we do know that the price for the new station will come in at about ,oh let’s say 39 million, which is seven million under the latest figure given to the city, giving the promoters of a new police building the ability to say look at all the money we have saved.

In the end we dropped the ball big time on the building. John Major would and according to sources cut a deal for the sale of the building. Instead of the city cashing in on a wind fall, council will be trying to sell the idea to a public who have no interest in seeing their credit card maxed out.

If the city tries to run this item by via a reverse petition, they may just find that the voters will step in to send a message to the hall. It takes 10% of the voters to now toss the item out; the city found during the Terasen deal that it is possible.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 03:46 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: Eagleone on June 25 2009 5:39 AM

I agree... they seem set on the police station at its current location and cost... I wonder what this decision costs each home owner in the city in total. IMO the city decision also kills the downtown revitalization that their subsidization is supposed to make happen... building on the prime commercial real estate property, therefore removing it from the inventory... for a civic building that adds nothing extra to the economy, seems backwards to me.

Posted by: BCRacer on June 25 2009 6:09 AM

Performing Center?????????

Posted by: metalman on June 25 2009 9:48 AM

You said it Eagle one.
metalman.

Posted by: skabowl1 on June 25 2009 12:38 PM

Based on the actions of the RCMP in an increasing number of instances, it seems BCRacer that the RCMP station will indeed be a.....Performing Centre :-)

Posted by: gus on June 25 2009 1:08 PM

That building is about as useless for a new police station as it is for a Performing Arts Centre as it is for a swimming pool.

It would make a great Chapters and associated Starbucks. Knock some holes in the wall for windows. Build a housing complex above since it is reportedly designed to take several storeys above.

Except I doubt that Chapters is willing to come into town on that site. But that is the type of user that would require a minimum amount of conversion construction - large space, lots of high ceiling, ability to expand the mazzanine with access via escalators, ability to add a few outboard smaller users such as coffee shop and lunch place.

Posted by: gus on June 25 2009 1:13 PM

A consolidation of some of the overflow Northern Health offices could also exist there. Again, provide some windows and and a new exterior finish, so interior partitioning, and create a second floor leaving a high ceiling entrance area.

That kind of office space is quite different from some of the special spaces and secure vehicular accesses the RCMP require.

Posted by: gus on June 25 2009 1:15 PM

As far as Council decsion to buy and not to buy. Do not assume they did not know that there were other interested parties in the works when they could have bought it.

Posted by: Harbinger on June 25 2009 4:56 PM

Knock a hole in the side of the building and put the needle exchange in there.

Posted by: NMG on June 25 2009 6:28 PM

"That building is about as useless for a new police station as it is for a Performing Arts Centre as it is for a swimming pool"

I completely agree with gus on this one. The building was designed to house bingo tables and slot machines. It wasn't built to be a police station and it's crazy to think that with some run of the mill renos, that it could become one.

It actually would make a great Chapters/Starbucks like he suggested. That would be a great addition to the downtown.

Posted by: Harbinger on June 25 2009 7:11 PM

Homeless people don't buy books and they don't drink $5 dollar lattes. Good luck, pal.

Posted by: gus on June 26 2009 8:34 AM

Homeless people also do not go to North 54, Cimo, Margo's, White Goose, Achillion, Winston's, Shogun, Jordy's, Kelly O'Brian's, Cariboo Steak House, Noodles, De Dutch, White Spot, Subway, Wendy's, Tim Hortons, Oriental Inn, The Duck, Keg, Ric's, Tony Roma ......

Posted by: Harbinger on June 26 2009 10:13 PM

How unfortunate.