"I personally do not believe the expansion of gambling is the right direction for Vancouver,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson Tuesday night, voicing Vision Vancouver's opinion on the issue of whether a proposed casino expansion should move forward in Vancouver’s downtown core.
“I’ve spoken a lot about the economic priorities for the future of the city. We need to build a globally competitive economy that attracts jobs and investment from around the world. At this point in time I don’t believe that the proposal in front of us is the right fit or meets the expectations of the citizens of Vancouver as an economic development initiative.”
"Enabling the largest casino in western Canada in our downtown doesn’t fit with Vancouver’s global brand as the world’s most livable city, the Green Capital, and hotbed for innovation from clean and digital technology to resource management.
"My motion, if passed by Council, will turn down the proposed expansion of gambling at 777 Pacific Blvd. It will also place a moratorium on the expansion of gambling in Vancouver. If there ever was to be an expansion of gambling in the future, it would require a comprehensive public consultation process and implementation of internationally recognized best practices in gambling.”
The Mayor further recognized the hard work of Paragon and its employees in preparing a strong and compelling argument advocating for the facility, and also recognized the need for the Province to pursue new revenue streams before reiterating the position that increasing gambling capacity in the downtown core was not in the best interests of the City.
