The Delta Cascades Casino has been approved by city council but there could be another hurdle ahead.
Delta council tonight (Monday) did the expected and voted in favour of granting final approval of the Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd. $70-million casino/hotel complex that is to be constructed at the Delta Town & Country site in Ladner.
Mayor Lois Jackson along with councillors Bruce McDonald, Robert Campbell and Sylvia Bishop voted in favour, while Heather King and Jeannie Kanakos, both voting against the project at the public hearing, voted to reject the application.
Bishop said she understands that there are residents who have passionate views on the proposal in the positive and negative. Having carefully read every letter by residents and piece of correspondence on the matter, she said she’s satisfied the benefits far outweigh any potential negatives.
McDonald agreed, saying Delta had originally rejected the idea of having a stand-alone casino, wanting a larger amenity to serve the community.
He also said the project has many supporters in Delta.
“I do understand that there are many people who for very valid reasons are opposed to gaming, but I don’t know of a pub in Delta that isn’t a mini casino,” he said.
Consultation took place with the City of Richmond because the neighbouring municipality would be within five kilometres of the facility. Noting the Tsawwassen First Nation expressed concerns including traffic, Kanakos and King questioned why First Nations, including the Semiahmoo and Musqueam, were also not consulted, saying the site is within their traditional territory. Kanakos said that “sending letters out for courtesy is an insult.”
Both also lambasted the B.C. Lottery Corporation for allowing the process to move forward without Delta knowing everything outlined in the recently released independent report on money laundering at B.C. casinos by former RCMP Deputy Commissioner Peter German.
Mayor Lois Jackson said the city carefully considered the application and that steps to eliminate money laundering are already being taken
Kanakos, who accused the city of a “rushed and flawed” process, later put forward a motion stating that due to “significant implications to public safety” raised in the German report, the attorney general and BCLC should suspend approving any new gaming facilities until all the report’s recommendations are implemented.
Planning director Marcy Sangret reiterated that Delta did follow all the required steps under the Gaming Control Act and that the rest would be up to the province. BCLC concurred with Delta’s approach, she noted.
Richmond will have an opportunity to file a former objection to Delta's casino complex to be built at the Town & Country site
Jackson noted she expects all the recommendations by German to be implemented and “if not, we have a wonderful police department that will see they are.”
The casino company plans to begin construction this fall. A grand opening would take place in later part 2020.
However, final approval is still required by the lottery corporation, which required city council to give final approval before the application moves onto that next, final step.
While a final decision remains, BCLC is “very supportive” of Gateway’s proposal, according to Delta staff.
Among those to be notified of Delta council’s approval will be Richmond, which had indicated opposition to the project. It remains to be seen if Richmond will initiate a non-binding dispute resolution process which would be overseen by BCLC. The process is set out in the gaming act but can only be initiated following Delta’s final adoption.
Richmond council’s position as soon as BCLC selected Delta as a preferred host community was to “proactively protect the City's interest” and that “if there is a casino in Delta, it be located sufficiently away from the City of Richmond so as not to negatively affect the City or the existing River Rock Casino.”
Richmond has 30 days to file an objection.
