Opinions split on Moncton's casino win

A $90-million casino being planned for Moncton is being applauded by government and business interests, but there's concern over the planned location of the gaming site as well as its "social costs."  

Finance Minister Victor Boudreau announced on Thursday the province's first casino will be built in the vicinity of the Magnetic Hill tourist site.

But the downtown business association thinks putting the facility downtown would have been a better bid.

"Which would have been a catalyst for more investment? I think it would have been the downtown one," said Daniel Allain, spokesman for Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc.

Four proponents bid on the project, but Sonco Gaming New Brunswick Ltd. was selected as the preferred proponent for the casino.

The partnership includes Sonco, Clairvest Group Inc., Navegante Group Inc. and 2050631 Ontario Inc.

Further details will not be released until a service provider agreement is signed with the company, Boudreau said.

But the facility is expected to be a $90-million project and completed by December 2010. It will include a 128-room hotel, an entertainment centre and convention space, employing about 400.

The government will not provide any funding for the construction of the casino, and Sonco will be responsible for all costs related to designing, building, financing and equipping the facility.

Business interests applaud casino

City spokesman Paul Thompson said Moncton has won the jackpot at Magnetic Hill.

The government announced earlier in the week that it would be investing $1.2 million to upgrade the concert site, and now the private casino will be opened nearby, he said.

"We're positioning that concert site as the premier outdoor concert site in Atlantic Canada," Thompson said. "It's going to be great to have this development here."

The Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce is also excited to see the casino, said Valerie Roy. "This is a lot of investment in our region."

But gaming site may have 'social costs'

But not everyone that way, said Paul Pellerin, who is running in Monday's municipal elections.

"They're all telling me the social costs will far outweigh the economic benefits for our city," Pellerin said.

Dave Hackett, another municipal election candidate, said he has heard similar concerns.

"I think the social cost is too high," Hackett said. "I think the government's economic reasoning for it is flawed. I don't think it's going to bring in as much tourism and as much money as they say."

The province already doesn't have enough addiction counsellors, Pellerin said, and opening a casino may just compound the problem.

Boudreau, however, said the government already addressed those concerns when the government announced in November that it would be allowing a casino in the province.

At the same time, New Brunswick launched a new gaming policy, which included banning video lottery terminals from restaurants that minors can enter alone, and reducing the number of VLTs in the province.

It also included additional funding for addiction services and training for people working in gambling locations to educate them on how to recognize addictive behaviour.