The local government released some sad news this week: the province will be shutting down all Ontario Place venues until at least 2017. The former family theme park has seen better days, with attendance falling over the course of the past few years. Now, the government is thinking of ways to revitalize the property, and building a casino is one possible solution.
John Tory will be leading a panel discussion about the future of Ontario Place. The area has not been profitable for quite some time, with just 500 000 people visiting the park last year. A committee of officials have been assigned to find a solution to make the area profitable once more. Tory has stated that there are plenty of options, and a casino has not been ruled out yet.
While the option of a casino is being considered, Tory is not very keen on the idea. He is worried about adding yet another gambling venue to the province of Ontario and believes that whatever the government builds on the Ontario Place grounds should enrich the local culture.
Earlier this month, there was talk of Toronto building a new casino – and the closing of Ontario Place seems very convenient, making way for these plans. However, in response to the news, Niagara Falls politicians and local Toronto residents voiced their opposition to the plan. So, the local government will have to fight hard if it wants to build a casino where Ontario Place used to be.
