Oxford unveils $3-billion casino, convention centre proposal for downtown Toronto

[OEincorparated]

Epi I thought I told you no more drinking.

[Taller, Better]

I do hope that if and when any of the biggie proposals goes through that they pressure the Ontario government to abolish ridiculous closing hour regulations for bars. I thought some of the powers that were won by the City of Toronto included some control over bar hours, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

[isaidso]

Can you imagine the look of shock on people's faces when they're told they can't have a drink because the government says its the wrong time of day. Kids/young adults are used to the indignity of going to illegal booze cans, but can you imagine 40-70 year olds showing up?

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by isaidso

I never thought about that. Can you imagine the look of shock on people's faces when they're told they can't have a drink because the government says its the wrong time of day.

Happens currently in every casino in Canada, and a great many in the USA too. Not many States allow for 24 hour liquor service.

[isaidso]

Really? That's just ridiculous. It's all starting to make sense why cocaine/bathroom breaks are so popular.

[Taller, Better]

Casinos are not immune to the liquor laws of the jurisdiction. They stop serving alcohol the same time other bars do. I assume that Las
Vegas just doesn't have closing hours, the same as New Orleans.

[isaidso]

I just never thought about it before. I've always associated casinos as places largely free from government meddling, but you're obviously right.

Can you imagine James Bond ordering his martini (shaken not stirred) and the bartender telling him its 2.05 am?

[Taller, Better]

ah yes, but James was clever enough to carry a flask with him at all times!

Airports and casinos generally have to follow the licensing regulations of the jurisdiction, even if they make no sense. Personally, I think "closing hours" make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

No matter what consortium wins, they will be pressuring the province to extend serving hours.

[Filip]

Originally Posted by Taller, Better

ah yes, but James was clever enough to carry a flask with him at all times!

Airports and casinos generally have to follow the licensing regulations of the jurisdiction, even if they make no sense. Personally, I think "closing hours" make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

No matter what consortium wins, they will be pressuring the province to extend serving hours.

Well now that Premier Dad is safely out of office, we could look into getting our archaic booze laws looked at.

[vid]

Yeah, because the social conservatives in the PCs would love for us to have free flowing alcohol! Maybe we'll return to buck-a-beer and abolish the .05-.08 warn zone!

[Filip]

Originally Posted by vid

Yeah, because the social conservatives in the PCs would love for us to have free flowing alcohol! Maybe we'll return to buck-a-beer and abolish the .05-.08 warn zone!

Actually the PCs (at least the current party) would love to have those revisited. I'd be happy with just busting the Beer Store. Why there is a government-imposed PRIVATE monopoly on the sale of beer is beyond me. Those places stink of piss anyway.

Ideal Ontario booze law: Wine and beer found everywhere, hard liquor only at the LCBO; no Beer Store and last call 4am.

[ssiguy2]

Well if this was just another Casino 101 that you find in every city on the continent then I wouldn't be too excited but this looks like a very promising proposal.

Toronto's Convention Centre is too small for a city of such stature and putting a park and covering the rail tracks will do more for access to the Waterfront and connecting it to the city than some ugly yellow bridge that looks like a crane put on it's side any day of the week.

What I love is the holier-than-thou liberals telling all their fellow citizens how casinos draw the life out of cities by taking money that would have been spent on local shops, resturants, and bars, Bars?.....in other words it's OK to get pissed but not to gamble? I'm sure these same people have their occational beer or martini at the local watering hole but "that's different". Gambling is certainly a social ill but how many people die of gambling each year compared to drinking or smoking? This is also from the same city that wants to create a red light district, the hypocracy is obscene. Until these do gooders also take to the streets demanding all restaurants and bars stop serving liquor, they should keep their condescending attitudes to themselves.

As far as comparing other large cities and their experiences much of that is a completely unfair analogy. Many US created downtown Casino to help bring rejuenvenation and money to their inner cores. In Detroit, for example, the city wanted the casinos to create money whereas this development is following the money. Just the fact it's even a conversation proves that as 99% of US cities would give their left nut to have an offer like this on the table.

As long as the casino is tasteful and well maintained it looks like a great opportunity for Toronto to expand it's convention centre and get rid of the eyesore and barrier to the Waterfront that is the rail corridor.

[vid]

Originally Posted by Filip

Actually the PCs (at least the current party) would love to have those revisited.

I know, and I want to see it happen just to piss off the handful of prudes that have no other party to call home.

Originally Posted by Filip

Ideal Ontario booze law: Wine and beer found everywhere, hard liquor only at the LCBO; no Beer Store and last call 4am.

I agree with you here, except no last call at all, and get rid of beer tents. Licence an entire festival ground, not just 40 square meters of it, tucked off in a corner. What is the point of drinking at a festival if you're stuck in a cage?

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Taller, Better

Personally, I think "closing hours" make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

I am in 100% agreement. I find any enforced hours of operation completely ludicrous. We're basically determining if something should be permitted based on where in the sky the sun is.

Now where did I put my flask?

[Mercenary]

I think the Casino should have operating hours of this:
Monday 4:00pm - 12:00am
Tuesday 4:00pm - 12:00am
Wednesday 4:00pm - 12:00am
Thursday 4:00pm - 12:00am
Friday 4:00pm - 2:00am
Saturday 12:00pm - 2:00am
Sunday 12:00pm - 12:00am

It can't be open 24/7.

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by Mercenary

It can't be open 24/7.

why not? Most casinos are. I think you will certainly find they are at Casino Rama or Niagara Falls.

[duff+eglin]

Originally Posted by Mercenary

I think the Casino should have operating hours of this:
Monday 4:00pm - 12:00am
Tuesday 4:00pm - 12:00am
Wednesday 4:00pm - 12:00am
Thursday 4:00pm - 12:00am
Friday 4:00pm - 2:00am
Saturday 12:00pm - 2:00am
Sunday 12:00pm - 12:00am

It can't be open 24/7.

If it closes it's a joke, and I don't want it. I hate to say it...., but "world class" or nothing. The only casinos that close are those that are usually found on the lower floors of hotels. As for drinks, I don't see 24 hours happening either but I don't think a 3am cut-off really matters anyway. How many people want to keep pounding them down past that time anyway?

[Epi]

Originally Posted by waldenbg

From MetroMan on UT:

The build order would be:

1) Casino complex + hotel towers.

2) Retail on the western block of the MTTC.

3) Rail corridor deck from BlueJays Way to a bit east of John. CN Tower and SkyDome would presumably redo their landscaping to connect to the deck at this point.

4) New convention centre with decking on the eastern edge over the rail corridor.

5) Foster twin towers.

6) Centre block redone with retail facing Front St and the new rail corridor park.

7) Centre rail deck and landscaping.

As people on UT have commented on their thread about this, the build order leaves a lot to be desired.

Note that the casino is built first, and then connections to the casino. And then they could easily give any excuse not to do the rest or cheapen the rest once they have their cash cow there. All the more reason for the developer to screw the city over.

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by Epi

As people on UT have commented on their thread about this, the build order leaves a lot to be desired.

Note that the casino is built first, and then connections to the casino. And then they could easily give any excuse not to do the rest or cheapen the rest once they have their cash cow there. All the more reason for the developer to screw the city over.

That is a valid concern.

[Filip]

Originally Posted by vid

I know, and I want to see it happen just to piss off the handful of prudes that have no other party to call home.



I agree with you here, except no last call at all, and get rid of beer tents. Licence an entire festival ground, not just 40 square meters of it, tucked off in a corner. What is the point of drinking at a festival if you're stuck in a cage?

Agreed.. I was just being realistic with the 4am, as not even Spain has unlimited drinking hours (it stops at 6am, though many bars disregard it).