jamesbond: Pro-casino Rob Ford not backing a location yet

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Pro-casino Rob Ford not backing a location yet

Mayor Rob Ford speaks to reporters at Toronto City Hall on Thursday. (DON PEAT/Toronto Sun)

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TORONTO?-?

Mayor Rob Ford says he?s willing to bet on a Toronto casino if it will pay off for the city.

While Ford said he?s yet to see a city staff report expected soon on the pros and cons of a casino, he doubted he?ll fight against a resort coming to Toronto.

?If there is a proposal that can create 10,000 jobs ? good-paying, union jobs ? and bring in revenue of $150 million to $200 million a year, I am going to support it,? Ford said.

But Ford said he?s not ready to bet on where a casino will go.

?Where we?re going to support it, with what proposal, I?m not sure right now,? he said.

Casino critic Councillor Adam Vaughan said staff ?have no business case? for a Toronto casino.

?(Ford?s) subway report had better numbers than this project,? Vaughan said. ?The numbers aren?t real and staff are afraid to go to council with bad numbers because the numbers are atrocious.?

Vaughan argued the numbers Ford touts ?aren?t supported by the very studies he claims to have read.?

?Show me one single study that shows $200 million (in revenue for the city) ... there isn?t one,? he said.

?The mayor may be able to get away with making up numbers and pulling them out of his hat but staff have professional reputations and will actually get scrutinized.?

Councillor Doug Ford stressed a casino could be good for the city.

?Every penny should go to transit, should be there for building subways,? Councillor Ford said.

Asked if he?s concerned about a casino at Exhibition Place hurting existing events like the Canadian National Exhibition, he said that?s a different debate.

?There?s two different scenarios ? let?s differentiate between location and should we have a casino,? he said. ?Let?s get over the casino hump and then we?ll fight it out over the location.?