Woodbine expansion gets John Tory's support, with conditions
Opponents of expanded gambling raise concerns about addiction, mental health issues
Toronto City Council will soon revisit the issue of approving expanded gaming at Woodbine Racetrack.
Mayor John Tory expressed his support for the idea, with conditions.
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"I'm expecting this is part of much broader complex in retail, business, entertainment," Tory said.
"I have heard a lot of people express interest in being a part of this," he said.
In March, the mayor said he wanted to see whether "expanding gaming would serve as a catalyst" for job creation in the Woodbine area.
Council rejected the idea two years ago in a 24-20 vote.
Opponents not convinced
"The fact it was a close vote shows there is an appetite to revisit Woodbine," Coun. Vince Crisanti told CBC News on Friday.
Still, others on council expressed doubts about supporting the idea.
"The conditions haven't changed since our last council meeting," Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam told CBC News.
"I don't think we should treat the community around Woodbine any differently than the downtown core. There are some grave concerns that come with casinos, including addiction and mental health," Wong-Tam said.
Officials at Woodbine say they need to expand beyond their core product, which is horse racing.
Jim Lawson, Woodbine's CEO, said expansion could double the number of visitors to as many as 12 million a year, from 6 million.
"Those people will naturally flow over and participate in gaming and horse racing," he said.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation will soon pick a partner for expanded gaming options in the region.
Meanwhile, a report on expanded gambling at Woodbine goes to the mayor's executive committee next month.