Seems to me when the Liberals (or I should say Liberal) were in opposition, the one and only opposition, Campbell was dead set against anymore gambling facilities and one armed bandits. Since they have been elected there sure are lot more popping up all over the province.

You noticed that did you...
I guess they have to help pay for the Olympic fiasco and their pay increases somewhow

Did you know that if the Casino has the new expansion with 160 new slots ready by Dec 16, that they will be paid for over the Xmas holiday? The slots cost about $30,000 each, you do the math.

I'll have to go down to the Casino one day when I get time and see what all the excitement is about. Must be pretty efficient as a means of cleaning out the taxpayers pockets, no ones complaining anyway.

Campbell and his government were against casinos and slots at one point, but he must have had a revellation I guess.
Funny what money and power will do to a person's point of view.
I went to the casino just to check it out about a year ago.
What I saw was a lot of low income people pumping what little money they have into one armed bandits.
That's their own stupidity I guess,but I notice that our government has no problem taking back their wellfare cheques from them and at the same time yapping up how they are trying to make things better for low income families in B.C.
What a bunch of phonies!

It's unfortunate that many who support the Casino's, Bingo Halls and are lined up at the Lottery Booths are the ones who can least afford it. And many would would be critical if anyone should have the nerve to suggest how they spend their money. That should change when they become a financial burden to our system as a result of their behavior. Chester

Hey Ben, why not pose that question to the owners of the establishment?

I don't see the attraction at the casino or bingo hall...
a lot of lights and noise...
Different strokes I suppose...

I'm sure the townhouses (if and when they are built) will be a huge hit. You get to live deep in the repugnant bowl, in the heart of the unserviced downtown core all the while being immediately adjacent to "Treasure Cove II" and the wonderful things it is bound to draw to your "backyard".

It absolutely boggles my mind to try and understand how the City was in support of this development.

If I remember correctly, one of the reasons this proposal was approved was because of the townhouses. Council wanted developments in the downtown to have housing associated with them whenever possible.

What I do not know, is whether there was a performance requirement for the owner to build these townhouses and, if so, whether a performance bond or letter was given to the city for that purpose.

Changing the subject a little,I noticed in the Real Estate Showcase magazine the old Fichtner apartments are for sale with 19 unit apartments, wouldn't this make a good location for the underprivileged people of this town! There doesn't seem to be any homes in the adjacent area (i.e. nobody to complain).
Just a thought!

Everyone has missed something here, the taxpayer paid parking under the gaming centre. Nice scam!!!

The parking was paid for out of the Downtown Parking Commission funds, which is paid into by business's in the downtown area. No doubt some taxpayers dollars also.

The City approved this plan for the gaming centre because they get a percentage of the gambling revenue. I suspect that they will collect in excess of $ 2 Million next year.

By relocating the Bingo Hall they are now able to utilize the propery on 4th and Victoria for the new police station, and then of course they will be able to use the property at 8th and Brunswick (present police station location) for the Performing Arts Centre.

The local yokal taxpayers will pay for it all however they will have little or no say on how it happens.

Question: Whatever happened to Bens request to the City for documents concerning the sale of gravel from behind Kin 1 and 2 to the CN, under the Freedom of Information Act. Has any documents been forthcoming, or is this now a closed subject.

Maybe Ben could do a little digging in Prince Rupert also. Word on the street is that 2 well placed and well known Prince Georgians have a piece of the action in the new Prince Rupert Casino. The new facility is called Chances Casino and is run by a numbered company 0733244 BC Ltd. It's president is listed as Craig Brieres. The same person who worked for John Major at Casino Hollywood and Treasure Cove. If the rumors are true it could sure make for some interesting times in good old PG.

I have been telling everyone for months that there are no condos. As the building went up it was obvious they were not being built. Does everyone not remember the promise with the hotel and the casino? The casino was built but sat there looking lousy with no siding on it for almost a year. This latest sham comes as no surprise to me.

I spend a lot of time in Rupert after having lived there for quite a while and still have family there,and I can tell you that as far as I see and hear,the only people who are impressed with the casino are mainly a lot of first nations people and a few younger people.
Many think it is about the LAST thing Prince Rupert needed and I agree completely!
But what the hell,there has to be SOME way for the Liberal government to get back the tax dollars they give to the first nations people, because that's exactly what happens!
That is unfortunate,because downtown Rupert is a human cesspool now.
This will make it worse.
And as far as the cruise ship industry flocking to Rupert,that will evetually die off because really,as far as cruise destinations go,they have very little to offer!
I spoke with a girl who worked at the new cruiseship terminal last year and she was constantly being told by the tourists off the ships that there was nothing to do there and very little to see.
She was also told how run down and dirty the town was.
That is unfortunate but it is true.
She said it was very hard to argue that point, but that is not what is advertized!
I seriously doubt the casino will change that much because not everyone wants to gamble their hard earned dollars away!
I too would like to see who is really behind it all and exactly what is happening.
And it will also hurt the other downtown business's contrary to what they are told, and they don't need that!
But the Crest Hotel should do well being right next door.
I hope they remember to keep their prices high to keep the riffraft out because they are coming, along with the increase in crime!

Andyfreeze: "She was also told how run down and dirty the town was."

Funny, but I was told the same thing by a few visitors from Europe about Prince George.

Nice nature, lakes and rivers, mountains.
But the town: grimy and unattractive.

People want gambling, that's why the NDP brought slot machines to B.C. including here (against the written objections of the Mayor and Council). The revenue prospect was imply irresistible, never mind the social implications.

The Liberals are continuing the tradition on a larger scale as virtually every town is lobbying for more casinos and gaming centres.

People flock to the casinos and gaming centres. As long as they keep coming it's business as usual.

Can't argue with that diplomat,downtown PG IS dirty and rundown, and has been that way for years!
Sad but true!
Guess I need to start gambling my money away to have any fun?
Went to the casino with friends here in PG once,and was bored in 15 minutes...but the drinks were good!
All I saw was a bunch of people losing what little money they had!
I guess SOMEBODY is winning,but I bet it wasn't the customers!
:-)

Because the neo-liberal ideology demands the reduction in corporate taxation, this naturally reduces the amount of money available to run the very basic governmental programs. In order to make up for these loses, there are two possibilities. Directly tax individuals or use gambling. The average tax payer simply will not support the misguided downloading of financial demands of the backs of corporations (where it should be, remember the economy is here to support society and not society here to support the economy) and onto the shoulders of individuals like you and me. Once they have squeezed the taxpayer to the point of revolt, they have to shift to something else. Thus, the increase in gambling which is simply a disgraceful way of flogging many who do not have the ability to resist the illusion of opportunity. Harper just did this again with his society damaging tax cuts to corporations. Economies always work in cycles and when the current boom starts to reverse itself, (History shows that this will start to happen two or three years after 2010)we will have absolutely lost the needed money to run necessary social and infrastructure programs. This is why all the educated people of the world are against neo-liberalism, unless they are receiving the wealth of the rape of the workers. Remember all those studies that prove the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer? Just wait until the economy turns and we can get a clear picture of what has been done to us. Our leaders are selling the masses lies and selling off our children's futures. Just like the lie health care is unsustainable (lost corporate taxation revenue anyone?)and the globally recognized inhumane treatment of the disabled in Canada. Our society is sick and we are mostly all sheep.

"Word on the street is that 2 well placed and well known Prince Georgians have a piece of the action in the new Prince Rupert Casino."

As far as I know, and it has been well known for some time, Majors owns the Casino in Pr. Rupert.

In addition, I understand that he has also bought the Coast Hotel there which is a franchise operation in Pr. Rupert. So, he might put in some package deals for those wishing to travel to Rupert to gamble, or maybe he just feels that the hotel business will pick up as a result of the casino and he wants part of that action.

There might be a few people coming from Terrace, since they have turned down a Bingo/gaming facility similar to the one being built in downtown PG.

The Crest? At their rates they will likely only house winners or high rollers. Rupert is not exaclty that big, although one will need an umbrella to walk the short distance.

Mr. Majors? Wow! It only shows to go ya that once you make yer first million, the second one is easy.

Owl. No secret about Majors owning the Rupert Casino. It's apparently the other stakeholders in the numbered company that should be of interest.

Spend $35 or so and do a search of the shareholders ....

Maybe they will find it is sitting on First Nations claimed land and they will end up like RiverRock Casino in Richmond.

;-)