Innisfil Council backs casino move, leaving Georgian Downs racing in jeopardy

A new location for Innisfil’s casino may be in the cards, but the horse betting days at Georgian Downs may be numbered.

At its June 5 meeting, the board unanimously agreed to support Gateway Casinos’ Municipal Zoning Order (MZO) request to rezone land near the 400 Freeway and 89 Freeway, allowing it to build a new gaming facility before by the expiry of the lease on the Georgian Downs site. .

While Gateway Casinos representatives previously declined to say specifically when the lease ends, its correspondence with city staff indicated an expiration date of late 2027-early 2028.

Since the casino first came to Innisfil in 2001, the community has reaped more than $107 million in cash benefits from hosting, including nearly $7 million since 2018 — when Gateway took over operations of Georgian Downs Casino — under the Ontario Lottery and Gaming’s (OLG). ) revenue sharing agreement.

For Deputy Mayor Kenneth Fowler, supporting the request is a safe bet.

“The last few times MZOs were brought to us, they were hypothetical situations, they were theorized,” he said. “They have not been proven.”

That’s not the case with this app, Fowler says. It is made by an organization that has benefited Innisfil and wants to stay within the municipal boundaries. For Fowler, Gateway has “put its money where its mouth is.”

“This is something we can take very seriously because they have a proven track record,” he said, pointing to “numerous capital projects” that have been funded by the revenue from hosting the casino. “This is something that will benefit Innisfil in general.”

The MZO application is for 239 Reive Blvd., which comprises approximately 30% of the current Innisfil Creek Golf Club. Although the property is classified in the commercial tourism zone, casino uses are not included in the broad spectrum covered by the current regulations. A regular zoning bylaw and formal plan amendment process could add another 18 months to the timeline, which Gateway told council it doesn’t have if it wants to continue operating a casino in Innisfil in 2028.

If an MZO is granted, the approval process for moving the casino to the new location remains extensive. Planning and Growth Director Andria Leigh said the city understands an MZO will “allow that runway” for a new facility to be built and become operational while the current casino remains in operation.

“There’s quite a process to build this new casino and then there’s a transfer process to move into this location,” she said.

This includes consultation with the public and indigenous communities. Gateway mentioned a public opening in its application to the city, but what the consultation process will look like remains to be seen.

“Some of that will be determined through the (Municipal Affairs and Housing) Ministry in terms of what will be required to submit the application,” Leigh said. “We’re looking to have some further discussions to figure something out.”

Similar clarity on the scope of required environmental studies would also be provided through guidance from the ministry, the advisers said.

While Gateway operates the casino at Georgian Downs, the property is managed by Great Canadian Entertainment. The organization’s Bruce Barber spoke to councilors at the open forum and said while Great Canadian will respect whatever decision the city makes about the MZO, the future of horse racing on the site is unclear if the casino leaves.

“If Gateway ultimately chooses to move casino operations from Georgian Downs, it will mean the end of horse racing at the current location as well as the closing of the current location,” he said.

Barber went on to discuss the economic impact on the area in that case, which would affect not only the people employed at Georgian Downs, but also those in the racing industry, which includes $2.5 million in earnings.

He also rejected what the OLG had previously suggested that racing was guaranteed to remain in Innisfil until 2028.

“Really, if it is, we’re not sure where it’s going to end up after this year,” Barber said. “There is no contract with the Ontario government through (Ontario Racing) beyond 2026.”

Mayor Lynn Dollin hoped Barber’s predictions would not come true, but suggested the city would try to remain neutral.

“It’s always been Innisfil’s MO (modus operandi) to get out of the way of businesses and let them do what they think is best for them,” she said. “Each company needs to make the decision they think is best for their company and move forward in the way they want to move forward.”

Georgian Downs has been operating since 2001. Its construction was preceded by an MZO issued in July 2000.

Leigh confirmed that the zoning currently on the property would allow for a variety of uses, should the facility close completely.