Comments on: Graphic Content: Casino-TO-rama http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=graphic-content-casino-to-rama Toronto's new weekly city magazine Sat, 25 May 2013 00:05:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: edge http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45980 edge Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:03:22 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45980 What downtown Toronto DOESN'T need is a casino, especially at Exhibition Place. Nowhere on MGM's plans do I see a free 24 hour shuttle bus between the CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH and the projected casino. Problem gambling is a huge mental health issue. We have enough Torontonians who are not receiving treatment for mental health problems; should we be opening ourselves up to more? We have enough independent retailers in Toronto who are already struggling to stay afloat; should we be delivering the coup de grace to them by opening up chain stores on the Exhibition grounds that will drive small businesses into the ground and make our downtown look like Detroit? Should we be sidelining the CNE Midway just to convenience the likes of Paul Godfrey and Rob Ford? Come on, Toronto: just look at the word "casino". The last two letters of it are NO. What part of NO don't we understand? What downtown Toronto DOESN’T need is a casino, especially at Exhibition Place. Nowhere on MGM’s plans do I see a free 24 hour shuttle bus between the CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH and the projected casino. Problem gambling is a huge mental health issue. We have enough Torontonians who are not receiving treatment for mental health problems; should we be opening ourselves up to more? We have enough independent retailers in Toronto who are already struggling to stay afloat; should we be delivering the coup de grace to them by opening up chain stores on the Exhibition grounds that will drive small businesses into the ground and make our downtown look like Detroit? Should we be sidelining the CNE Midway just to convenience the likes of Paul Godfrey and Rob Ford? Come on, Toronto: just look at the word “casino”. The last two letters of it are NO. What part of NO don’t we understand?

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]]> By: Legion http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45340 Legion Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:29:54 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45340 Detroit is a miserable place, stopping to talk to the locals is hazardous to one's health. Detroit is a miserable place, stopping to talk to the locals is hazardous to one’s health.

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]]> By: varun http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45304 varun Sun, 24 Feb 2013 21:05:05 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45304 Casinos generate revenues all right but very little trickle back. Look at Detroit. Heck even Vegas. The strip is a miserable place for everyone but the revelers who dont live there. If you ever stop to talk to the locals ... none of them lives downtown. I dont need a moral or pecuniary argument to make the call here. This is a bad idea because I live here and I dont think I am part of the picture for M/S Adelson, Schwarz et al. Casinos generate revenues all right but very little trickle back. Look at Detroit. Heck even Vegas. The strip is a miserable place for everyone but the revelers who dont live there. If you ever stop to talk to the locals … none of them lives downtown.

I dont need a moral or pecuniary argument to make the call here. This is a bad idea because I live here and I dont think I am part of the picture for M/S Adelson, Schwarz et al.

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]]> By: LDW http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45230 LDW Fri, 22 Feb 2013 05:40:08 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45230 Doesn't anybody have a sense of what Toronto is, and was, about? The City has changed considerably over the 60 plus years of my lifetime, as have most large cities in North America. I have witnessed these changes as a person who is from here and has grown up and continued to live here. We are a much better city as a result of those 60 plus years of change, warts and all . . . However, the introduction of a MAJOR use, such a casino, is not a benign addition to our city. It represents a decision about who we are and how we think about ourselves, not just in terms of our future, but also our past. For example, a choice of the CNE as a site for a casino is totally out of character for that land that has been a place for families and temporary special events. It even has been used as a temporary staging area for the military during WW II, in support of protecting those other family values associated with the site through our wartime duty. To change the character of this place is simply "anti-Toronto". While I am not knee-jerk against a casino, I am very much against decisions that only consider the costs, but fail to understand the societal values of the decsions. In short, I have no respect for politicians that "know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing" . . . How about all of you, Toronto? What do you think? Doesn’t anybody have a sense of what Toronto is, and was, about?

The City has changed considerably over the 60 plus years of my lifetime, as have most large cities in North America. I have witnessed these changes as a person who is from here and has grown up and continued to live here. We are a much better city as a result of those 60 plus years of change, warts and all . . .
However, the introduction of a MAJOR use, such a casino, is not a benign addition to our city. It represents a decision about who we are and how we think about ourselves, not just in terms of our future, but also our past.

For example, a choice of the CNE as a site for a casino is totally out of character for that land that has been a place for families and temporary special events. It even has been used as a temporary staging area for the military during WW II, in support of protecting those other family values associated with the site through our wartime duty. To change the character of this place is simply “anti-Toronto”.

While I am not knee-jerk against a casino, I am very much against decisions that only consider the costs, but fail to understand the societal values of the decsions. In short, I have no respect for politicians that “know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing” . . .

How about all of you, Toronto? What do you think?

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]]> By: David http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45190 David Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:43:18 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45190 I haven't found any balanced article anywhere, that would speak to someone like me who likes casino gambling and would find it convenient if there were a casino accessible by public transit, but is concerned that maybe Toronto isn't the best location. Everything seems to be some variant of pro-casino "step 1. Casino.....Step 3. Profit" or atni-casino "Gambling victimizes the poor and addicts should be forbidden at least until we have an ecological park for the homeless, but legalized prostitution and bawdy houses are a good thing because they empower women". Some people are addicted to alcohol but I can still buy it in downtown Toronto. Right now casinos in Ontario are "destinations", if you go to the time and expense of traveling there you're going to spend hours or days even if you're losing. The advantage for someone not addicted to an accessible (by transit) location inToronto or Markham would be, no need to drive, you can stay a shorter time without having the expense of a long driver or taxi trip. Note that I've been told the affordable buses to e.g. Casino Rama force one to stay at least 6 hours or so, so you're stuck there gambling... I haven’t found any balanced article anywhere, that would speak to someone like me who likes casino gambling and would find it convenient if there were a casino accessible by public transit, but is concerned that maybe Toronto isn’t the best location. Everything seems to be some variant of pro-casino “step 1. Casino…..Step 3. Profit” or atni-casino “Gambling victimizes the poor and addicts should be forbidden at least until we have an ecological park for the homeless, but legalized prostitution and bawdy houses are a good thing because they empower women”.

Some people are addicted to alcohol but I can still buy it in downtown Toronto.

Right now casinos in Ontario are “destinations”, if you go to the time and expense of traveling there you’re going to spend hours or days even if you’re losing. The advantage for someone not addicted to an accessible (by transit) location inToronto or Markham would be, no need to drive, you can stay a shorter time without having the expense of a long driver or taxi trip. Note that I’ve been told the affordable buses to e.g. Casino Rama force one to stay at least 6 hours or so, so you’re stuck there gambling…

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]]> By: RJ http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45170 RJ Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:26:46 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45170 No need of another atraction down town, will be too much traffic ---no place to park!! Down is grid locked enough!!!! No need of another atraction down town, will be too much traffic —no place to park!! Down is grid locked enough!!!!

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]]> By: Kate http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45167 Kate Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:57:46 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45167 After extensive study and much public consultation, Waterfront Toronto has long since been in the process of re-naturalizing the badly damaged lands - and has already begun creating parklands and other sustainable "green" projects that will ACTUALLY be for the public. The land there will also be developed rapidly to support the Pan Am games - and what will remain will be a brand new college campus, a massive YMCA, a beautiful sports field, affordable housing... you know... shit Toronto actually needs? This is the type of development a world-class city needs and deserves. After extensive study and much public consultation, Waterfront Toronto has long since been in the process of re-naturalizing the badly damaged lands – and has already begun creating parklands and other sustainable “green” projects that will ACTUALLY be for the public.

The land there will also be developed rapidly to support the Pan Am games – and what will remain will be a brand new college campus, a massive YMCA, a beautiful sports field, affordable housing… you know… shit Toronto actually needs?

This is the type of development a world-class city needs and deserves.

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]]> By: barrywhite http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45155 barrywhite Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:40:37 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45155 except the area is very inaccessible to everything...cars, people, transit. Even the current proposed portland redevelopment plans understand how isolated the area is, and have scaled the development to accommodate the area's limitations. Don't even pretend they will ever run a subway out there, it's next to impossible to dig on that land. except the area is very inaccessible to everything…cars, people, transit.

Even the current proposed portland redevelopment plans understand how isolated the area is, and have scaled the development to accommodate the area’s limitations. Don’t even pretend they will ever run a subway out there, it’s next to impossible to dig on that land.

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]]> By: David Hains http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45153 David Hains Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:24:49 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45153 That particular quote from The Martin Prosperity Institute came from an e-mail, not any particular study. I'll see if anything is available though. That particular quote from The Martin Prosperity Institute came from an e-mail, not any particular study. I’ll see if anything is available though.

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]]> By: Undecided http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/graphic-content-casino-to-rama/#comment-45151 Undecided Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:04:40 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=124487#comment-45151 I've tried looking into The Martin Prosperity's studies but cannot find anything concrete other than a Toronto Star article and other ones with the same quote found here. It would seem that Atlantic City, Niagara, and Detroit are being used as comparison cities for what happens when a Casino is added to a d/t core. None of those seem very fair. I'm sure there is a possibility for the Casino to be a net loss for the city but I'm yet to see a good study on it. Any suggestions? I’ve tried looking into The Martin Prosperity’s studies but cannot find anything concrete other than a Toronto Star article and other ones with the same quote found here.

It would seem that Atlantic City, Niagara, and Detroit are being used as comparison cities for what happens when a Casino is added to a d/t core. None of those seem very fair. I’m sure there is a possibility for the Casino to be a net loss for the city but I’m yet to see a good study on it.
Any suggestions?

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