City staff recommends rejecting proposal to move casino from downtown to Rona building
NEWS/ CITY — City staff are recommending Kamloops council reject a $34-million proposal from Gateway Casinos and Entertainment to build a new casino at the former Rona Home and Garden Centre in Aberdeen.
A report going to council Tuesday says the proposal is contrary to the community plan, which supports location of major commercial and cultural centres in the downtown core.
Artist’s conception of new casino.
Gateway has applied for rezoning of the Rona property to accommodate a move of Lake City Casino from the Hotel 540. The new Cascades Casino would include restaurant facilities and outdoor theatre as well as the bigger casino.
“… KamPlan encourages hotels and cultural, entertainment, performing arts and convention facilities to locate within the City Centre to develop and strengthen the area as the primary cultural and entertainment district of Kamloops,” the report says.
“Similarly, the City Centre Plan strongly encourages a variety of tourist, restaurant and entertainment uses to locate within the downtown core of the City Centre. General planning philosophy accepts that strong downtown centres help create a sense of place and community focus.
“As such, the relocation of entertainment facilities such as Lake City Casino from the City Centre to 1555 Versatile Drive is not supported.”
Council will have to decide whether to forward Gateway’s rezoning application to a public hearing or reject it outright.
A public hearing would allow the proponent and public to make presentations and ask questions about the application to amend the zoning of the Rona property from shopping centre commercial on a site-specific basis to permit a casino and accessory lounge.
The report continues that downtown areas “function as community focal points and have a strong sense of place, which is vital to the health and prosperity of a city, especially in smaller to mid-sized cities such as Kamloops.”
It says loss of the downtown casino “may have an impact on the downtown’s social and economic fabric.”
The Social Planning Council, a group that advises City council on proposals affecting social issues, has declined to take a position on the possible relocation of the casino, but did comment on possible impacts to both the downtown and Aberdeen.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District board of directors gave its blessing to the proposal in June.
After Gateway announced its plan in May, National Hospitality Group, which owns Hotel 540, unveiled a proposal to build a performing arts centre attached to the hotel in partnership with the City. That proposal was to be analyzed by consultants the City plans to hire in the fall to look at options for the arts centre.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Personally, I don’t go downtown for the casino. I go for the live music or to meet friends at a pub. So I personally don’t care where it goes. I hate to be rude, but if one looks at the demographics of who is going in and out of the casino, it’s not young people looking for a fun downtown night or the rockey mountain tourists (well, maybe some). It’s mainly seniors or people who shouldn’t be blowing the little money they have at the casino. I feel that the move may get some off the “unpleasantries” out of the core as well if they move as you do tend to see panhandlers waiting outside. Then again, it could just move them elsewhere downtown. If the Performing arts centre does go in as a replacement, then that to me its’ a fair trade. I wouldn’t consider a casino to be in the “arts and culture” portion of Kamplan anyways.
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Hmmm If I remember correctly – Big Box stores did not fit into Kamplan …remember the outcry about Stupid Store??? Rather see it on the hill where the City will get revenue than on KIB where they won’t!
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My immediate reaction to the city staff’s recommendation is the possible perception of conflict of interest. Isn’t the city wanting to have the old Daily News property (which the city now owns) considered for a new performing arts centre, placing them in competition with Hotel 540 (where the casino is currently situated) and who also want to be considered for a new performing arts centre? In some way, doesn’t this recommendation push the city’s proposal a little closer to the top of the list? Just asking the question. But it’s an important one.
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Please see my Armchair Mayor column today in which I mention a possible impact on the study that will look at options for location of the performing arts center. There is no conflict involved as it’s not a matter of competition — if Hotel 540 was chosen the City would partner with the hotel owner, then likely use the KDN building for the purpose it was acquired, which is a parkade. Or maybe a new City Hall. If Hotel 540 doesn’t become available, it would reduce the City’s options for locating the performing arts centre.
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I’m sorry to see that the City Planners have come out against the Casino moving from Downtown Kamloops to 1555 Versatile Drive. Surely it’s plainly obvious, that the Gateway Casino, located in Hotel 540, has outgrown it’s present location. Like many people, who visited the open house at the old Rona site, I was impressed at what is planned. With some alterations, I really believe that the move is a great idea and I can only hope City Council feels the same way.
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Personally I find casinos noisy,cheesy and essentially a tax on the stupid. But the City staff have over stepped their bounds on trying to control the operation of the casino.If they want to strengthen the downtown core, do it with innovative marketing and programs, not blunt force. Besides the casino really shouldn’t be considered part of the culture or entertainment of the city. One advantage to having the casino on the hill is that it will deter the walk in trade, who can generally not afford to gamble.
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Since a casino is a bit on the “dark side” of community endeavors it is probably best, in my opinion, confined away from the cultural center of the city. The impact on the social fabric may actually be an improvement.
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This writer finds it interesting that the city planners are saying that we must abide by the Kamplan. How many times has the tremendous Kamplan been changed over the years, and I have lived in this longer than the Kamplan has been in existence. The city talks about ensuring that hotels etc are placed in the downtown core. Our friends who usually come from the United States or Asia, are not interested in using the hotels in downtown Kamloops. They prefer the hotels on the hill. I for one will never shop downtown because there is no parking to be had. As a city, what are we willing to offer Gateway Casinos and Entertainment? Just because the city wants Gateway to plant itself in downtown Kamloops, might not mean that Gateway will fall over and play dead in order to placate the good city fathers. You have no off street parking, it is not a friendly environment. If we are not careful the company may decide to pack up its bags and ride off into the sunset. Lastly, is the city telling business that you better do what we want you to or else. Tell that to people who might lose jobs etc. Maybe in this case, the last person to blink will be the winner.
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I agree with you. This is another case of city staff, making a bad decision, because for some reason it doesn’t suit their idea of what the down town should look like. I guess they like the pan handlers, and drunks hanging around the casino giving the area a bad image. That’s one of the reasons I stopped going there. Council needs to stand up and quit letting the tail wag the dog for a change, especially since Gateway has spent the money already.
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