The City does not need a new gaming centre. I wish I had had a vote on wasting $3 million dollars.

what a friggan joke!

"The construction of the parkade is costing the City $3 million dollars.'

No money for some badly needed replacement of totally worn out streets, though.

Question of misplaced priorities, lack of attention.

Nice stab in the eye Ben.

Just another drain on the TAXPAYER'S wallet.

The funds to pay for the parking lot is in theory from a special parking levy that has been collected over many years from downtown merchants to help pay for parking in the downtown. It is too bad that Mr. Majors though seems to benefit from it the most whereas parking could be installed in better locations around downtown where it is really needed.

Keep in mind that this is not an addition. This is a move from one location on the periphery of the CBD (central business district) as I prefer to call it to the heart of the CBD. It tells me that the Central Business District should be the gaming centre.

We moved higher end casino with a brand new hotel out of the CBD and moving this one in.

The evidence that City Council is its own worst enemy when it comes to improving the economic and social viability of downtown is mounting with each project they approve.

Underground parking on a flood plain? Scuba divers as valet parking attendants? Could happen.

I can't add anything that hasn't already been said. Misplaced priorities, a petty third world dictator mentality, practicing a cartel business management model.

Three million dollars would have fixed a lot of streets, so would that 1 million dollar clock for the multiplex. Nobody overlooks the sorry appearance of Prince George for a couple of shiny gambling houses.

Prince George needs another casino, and more social vice, like it needs more parking meters downtown.

I'd like to understand the logic of this council, but it's not in any of my textbooks.

So the 4% home tax was needed to pay for a subsidy to John Majors gaming center. I'm not that surprised. It all makes sense now.

You gamble in this city , you give money to John Major and a token to the city.

I live here and don't gamble, yet I am giving money to John Major and the City for their gambling business? What's with that?

it all boils down to, "Who's yer friend?"

It sounds like it would have been better to build the parkade across the street and waste more land just so that people can make the separation of a parkade and a gambling facility.

It seems that some principles are difficult to understand by some.

As far as building below the flood plane, there is a Perfoming Arts Centre and an Art Gallery in Cologne Germany built on the shores of the Rhine which frequently floods. The facility is mostly below the flood level by several storeys. It is built not unlike the hull of a ship - water proof. For any leacks, there aer pumps built in, similar to pumps on ocean going vessels, to take care of the any small leaks which may develop.

The foundation is designed not only to take the downward forces of the mass of the building and its occupancy, but also the upward forces during "floatation" stages under high water conditions. Thus, there are tensile anchors into the strata below the building.

I do not expect that sort of sophistication here, but would think some different step would be taken to recognize the potential effect of floods, even if they are only to make the structure sound enough that it would not deteriorate under potential flood conditions.

This is the inside of the Cologne Philharmonic hall

[url]http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=363361581&context=set-72157594399642689&size=l[url]

Which lies under these steps and plaza - notice the river flooding ... which it does quite regularly ...

[url]http://www.wiese.info/reise/urlaub-fotos/koeln/hochwasser-jan-2003/philharmonie-treppen-zum-rhein-bild-108.htm[url]

oops ...

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=363361581&context=set-72157594399642689&size=l

http://www.wiese.info/reise/urlaub-fotos/koeln/hochwasser-jan-2003/philharmonie-treppen-zum-rhein-bild-108.htm

Gee taxpayer money going to aid John Major. Does this sound like a good reason for the possibility of counsel members receiving improper campaign contributions? Just a thought...

One has to wonder about the location of this new gaming centre, and how did we get to where we are to-day.

(1) Who wanted a new gaming centre. Certainly not the people who play Bingo.

(2) Who wanted Slot Machines in the New Gaming Centre (Bingo Hall) certainly not the Bingo Players.

(3) Who decided that it would be better to have 100 Slot Machines rather than the 50 that was originally planned. Certainly not the Bingo Players.

(4) Who decided on the present location for this Facility. The City sold the property for this location. (The old Police Station, United Way Building) so they must have had some input in the location. The City also owns the property on which the present Bingo Hall is located, which it purchased in 2005 for $2,700,000.00, and will use this property for the new $21 Million Police Station. I suspect they were in favour of moving the present Bingo Establishment.

(5) Could not the new Gaming Centre have been located on the same property as the Casino. Is it being located downtown so it can cater to the present Bingo Players, and also any others that are located in that area. Will this keep some people in downtown Prince George, and will the **Casino** become a more **upscale** facility for **tourists** and highbrow locals?

(6) Will this Gaming Centre located adjacent to our Public Swimming Pool (Young Children) our Arts Centre (Young Children) and our Library (Young Children) with all the panhandling, drinking, and Gods knows what else that will be associated with it have a detrimental effect on the use of these other facilities in this area.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. In any event it is close enough to City Hall, that they will be able to get a day to day update on how well it it working out.