Gambling debate a done deal? Don't bet on it

Hard Rock International officially took over the gambling operations at the RideauCarleton Raceway this week.

This was completely expected, since the entertainment conglomerate announced in May it would be partnering with the raceway to run the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG)slotsthere, as well as eventually build a hotel and new casino and potentially invest $320 million in the complex.

• Hard Rock taking over Rideau Carleton Raceway casino
• 3 councillors vote against expanding gaming at raceway

Hard Rock was also expected to bring in 21 gaming tables, an addition approved by the previous council in 2011, although the tables were never actually installed.

There was just one final hurdle one that became the main event at Wednesday's council meeting, even though city staff, Mayor Jim Watson, and a number of councillorsconsidered it a mere technicality.

And although Hard Rock's takeoverpassed easily in a 19-to-four vote with Diane Deans, Jeff Leiper, Catherine McKenney andTobi Nussbaum voting against it did revive arguments surrounding gaming in Ottawa, and hinted at debates to come.

'Flown this so under the radar': Deans

The province requires city council to do two things: approve the raceway as a gambling site, and then bothseekpublic input and provide a written descriptionof what that inputlooked like and what it actually said.

One of the key points of contention was whether the city had met that provincially-required consultation criteria.

The mayorand city staffsaid they had. Back in 2012 and 2013, they claimedduring a larger discussion aboutwhether Ottawa should bid for a downtown casino there were five finance committee meetings where the publiccould have voiced their opinions, before council ultimatelyvoted to keep gambling at the raceway.

The city's own report states those meetings "were not for the purpose of seeking input" under the provincial regulation,but staff concluded that because theyspoke to the same issue, close enough.

In lateAugust,thecitylaunchedan online consultationasking if people were in favour of gaming atRideauCarleton, which mostly just led to confusion as the raceway hasbeen a gaming sitefor 19years. And there was yet anotherfinance committee meeting last week.

But some councillorsweren't buying that approach as properly seeking public input.

"This is not meaningful publicconsultation," said Deans, who has been an vocal opponent of expanded gambling. "We've flown this so under the radar."

We don't know what residents feel about gambling

Deans also wanted to know why council didn't get a copy of the written description of the consultation, particularly the summary of public input.

The answer given at Wednesday's council meeting was vague. But the truth is there hasn'tbeen anyformal public consultation about how Ottawa residents feel about expanding gambling. There have been no scientific polls or surveys.

The largest public meeting on the issue was thefinance committee held in October 2012to gauge whether Ottawa should express an interest "in principle" in expanded gambling.

More than 30 public delegations showed up including a number of pro-casino delegatesinvited by the mayor's office to make presentations. Still, three-quarters of those delegates pleaded with councillorsto vote against expanding gambling.

Council went ahead anyway.

In fact, there wasn't any consultation on adding those 21 gaming tables back in 2011. The item was walked onto the council agenda, meaning there wasn't even an opportunity to discuss it at committee.

More debate to come

Back in 2013, the prevailing feeling seemed to be that if there had to be gambling in Ottawa, it should stay at the RideauCarleton Raceway.

There were fears that losing gambling therecould affect both the horse-racing industry and rural jobs.

I think we all know they're going to come back and ask for more.- Coun. Keith Egli on Hard Rock's gaming plans

And if we were just talking about the raceway keeping its existing 1,250 slots, councillorslikely wouldn't be too upset. But as Coun. Keith Eglisaid Wednesday of Hard Rock: "I think we all know they're going to come back and ask for more."

Hard Rock hasn't applied to the city for any expansions yet. And the casino operator has agreed to talk with the city's public health folks about how to offer gambling responsibly.

Still, many at the city are gearing up for a renewed battle over expanded gaming. Ottawa Public Health is already updating its five-year-old study on the social effects of gambling. A new set of councillorsappear ready to tackle the issue vociferously, while veterans who appeared uncomfortable voting in favour of a new casino the last time around will we hope have learned a few lessons.

So yes, the newly-minted Hard Rock Casino has approval to take over gambling in this town, and even add blackjack tables.

But is this deal done? Don't bet on it.