Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is ready to support any community it operates in as compensation for gambling, as coffers accept generous regular allocations which could later be used for various local projects and upgrades. The town of Ajax is one of the communities that has been able to witness such an improvement ever since 2006 and improvement is visible by the latest Fire and Emergency Services purchases reaching CA$800,000. Local officials appreciate the support.
The lottery corporation is willing to work in close collaboration with any city or town featuring a casino venue licensed by it. When it comes to Ajax, this has been true ever since 2006 when Casino Ajax first launched operation at Ajax Downs. Over the years the town has bagged as much as CA$84 million in non-tax revenue which has boosted various projects across the community. Mayor Shaun Collier recently confirmed the mutually beneficial nature of the partnership. He was vocal about the improvements Casino Ajax has guaranteed.
Casino Ajax Supports the Community
When taking the bigger scale into account, Casino Ajax has provided the town with the most beneficial revenue per machine ratio, as the Mayor further reported. Thanks to the operation on site of the casino venue, the local Quarter Horse racing sector has enjoyed a financial boost. The horse racing community always appreciates such. The revenue generated via its operation added up to the total revenue reaching CA$81.7 million when it was time for the annual budget to be discussed.
Casino Ajax’ operation has also improved the long-term borrowing needs. The two vehicles purchased recently for the Fire and Emergency Services would replace already outdated rescue trucks and result in more reliable emergency support. The collaboration between the lottery corporation and the Town of Ajax is projected to continue in the foreseeable future thanks to the agreement-in-principle that was arranged by the province.
It would make it possible for the casino venue in Ajax to continue its operation even after the planned gambling development in neighboring Pickering becomes reality. The two venues would be only seven kilometers apart, a proximity that would have otherwise nixed operation of the casino venue in Ajax. The neighboring communities have battled for their right to both operate casino venues, but lawmakers had the final say that both of them had the right to host gaming activities.
Durham Live Casino Would Not Negatively Impact Ajax
Such turn of events was a rather unexpected one, at least when it comes to the existing set of rules devices by Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. This mandated a change in the regulations directly affecting the casino venue. Great Canadian Gaming Corporation based in Vancouver would oversee both of them. According to Rod Phillips, MPP for Ajax and Environment Minister who spoke on the subject, diversifying the offerings could be good for the region.
Players will have the freedom to enjoy both locations and concerns that cannibalization of the field could occur down the road were scrapped. The key factor that eventually tilted scales in this direction is that the two casino venues will have different gaming activities available on site that would not have a negative impact on the gaming revenue of either of the locations. At the moment Casino Ajax located at Ajax Downs has some 800 slot machines, but their number would be reduced once Durham Live Casino launches operation.
This would mean that Casino Ajax will end up having 500 devices, while the Pickering gambling venue would be an entertainment magnet with 2,700 slot devices. Moreover, it will also feature 1,000 table games, as well as other more family-friendly offerings. Hotel venue is going to provide premium accommodation to both casino patrons and tourists, whereas a theme park would strive to make the visit a memorable one.
The possibility of closing Casino Ajax for good sounded threatening to Ajax Mayor Parish, as many locals rely on the location for their permanent employment. According to the new arrangement, the casino venue will have to permission to remain working until 2026 with options to extend it another 12 years.
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Author: Yolina
Yolina has followed closely the latest development on the Canadian gaming scene over the past years, monitoring the land-based, lottery, and online offerings up for grabs. The dynamic nature of the local lottery and casino fields, as well as the opportunities lying ahead of Canada fire her enthusiasm for what is to come. A sports betting enthusiast, in her spare time Yolina could be found in her natural habitat – turning the pages of biographies and catching up on the latest stand-up comedy podcasts.