Wasaga Beach council settles on preferred casino locations

By Trina Berlo Simcoe.com Dec 04, 2012 

WASAGA BEACH – Wasaga Beach council will inform the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation of its four preferred sites for a casino. 

Two are in the west end of town and two are in the east.

Council members have shown preference for, in no particular order, the southwest corner of Beachwood Drive and Collingwood Airport Road (a DAS Development Corporation property), the corner of Fairgrounds Road and Beachwood Drive (a Stirling Cook Holdings property), 486 River Road West (a Sceptre Developments property) and the former Waterworld site, located at 550 River Road West (a Tru-Star Developments property).

Councillor Ron Anderson reiterated his opposition to stating preferred locations during a council meeting Nov. 27, saying council is artificially driving up prices on the four properties and the casino should be treated like any other business and council should not have a say as to where it is located.

Councillor Stan Wells said he would like council to be open to other potential sites that are not on the list while being clear that there are some sites that are excluded from the list.

Council has stated that it does not want to see the casino located at the main beach.

CAO George Vadeboncoeur warned council members about opening up the list of preferred locations saying there are properties out there that are properly zoned for a casino, meaning council would have no way of restricting how those properties are developed.

“It would open the door for submissions [council members] don’t want to see,” he said.