City
MGM reveals its plans for a casino at Exhibition Place
Exhibition Place could get a whole lot more extravagant if MGM is able to realize its vision for a casino resort on the lake front property. Executives from the American gaming giant officially unveiled their plan to package Ontario Place, BMO Field, Molson Amphitheatre, and the CNE into a single sprawling entertainment complex spanning both sides of the Lake Shore Boulevard.
The major development will, the company says, represent a $3-5 billion investment resulting in 10,000 permanent and 5,000 construction jobs. The overhaul will also see the entrance fee for the Ex scrapped as part a sponsorship deal with MGM and the annual event will be partially shifted to the Ontario Place parking lot, which will be rebranded "Festival Plaza," on the south side of Lake Shore.
Digital images released today depict excited gamers arriving outside a glittering curved entrance (complete with the obligatory gold lion statue) while posing for a photo in the snow. Inside, the company promises cuisine from chef Mark McEwan and a permanent Toronto home for the Cirque du Soleil.
A 1,200-room hotel will be attached directly to the 279,000 square metre gaming hall. Somewhere below, the Exhibition streetcar loop will also be beefed up and buried with direct access from Liberty Village, they say.
The addition of 12,000 underground parking spaces would mean the roads leading to the site would require significant alterations. Ever optimistic, MGM says the new layout with fewer traffic lights will actually improve traffic flow on major nearby streets. An expanded GO station with more frequent service Union Station is also on the cards.
Away from the gambling, ferris wheels, and sporting events, the Marting Goodman bike trail that currently runs parallel to Lake Shore Blvd. will be re-routed along the waterfront past a new landscaped Ontario Place, possibly tying in with plans for the shuttered park unveiled in 2012.
Rob Ford has indicated that the Exhibition Place site is his preferred option for a downtown casino as the city will be able to reap more revenue from the lease of the land. MGM said in a press release their plan will inject "millions" into the local economy and attract new tourists.
A recent report from the board of health suggested any Toronto casino would likely have no effect on the unemployment rate and would disproportionately impact low-income families. Interestingly, councillor Mike Layton, whose ward covers the proposed site, tweeted that he was denied access to the media briefing along with another local resident. "I guess they don't want facts to rain on their pretty model," he said.
Do you believe MGM can deliver on the promises it made today? Would you even want them to? Is this a way to improve the CNE and net some dollars for the city or just a bad idea in general?
MORE IMAGES:
Martin Goodman trail in autumn
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Images: MGM/Cadillac Fairview.
Discussion
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With artwork like this, there's no way that MGM's bid can be taken seriously.
go f yourself this ain't gonna happen
Never mind.
I think the city is in desperate need or something like this. We need to move forward, not consistently backwards because of city government is too busy bickering about EVERY. SINGLE. THING.
Bring on a downtown Casino!
The location is perfect.
Please let MGM be the Biggest Loser.
No, the Ex is not through, and it should not be closed. It should also not be relocated, temporarily (for construction of said casino) or permanently.
We may as well tear down the Sky Dome and CN Tower to make room for condos, since all of Toronot's heritage is pretty much going to hell.
The casino is just a bad idea in general.
Never mind that this whole proposal stinks with respect to sheer energy costs now and in the future. Looks like the early nineties are back in. Not a green idea in sight, or on site for that matter.
Once again, a pedestrian unfriendly shopping mall by MGM is this administration's favoured proposal? Where is the ferris wheel?
Woah.
Where are the condos?
How can we have a development in Toronto be allowed if we don't have 60-storey condos squished up against each other as part of it?
And.. and.. improving transit? what's this nonsense? why aren't we making a whole new MGM SUV ramp off the gardener, which by the way will become the double-decker casino expressway?
LAugh. laff. laff.
Good news for the transit file!
It would be very unfortunate if those structures were to be demolished. I would like to see some kind of museum or cultural centre housed at Ontario Place. It would make for a very nice event space.
But I do like the part about the MGT moving back to the lakeshore, alongside Ontario Place. That's where it used to be located and was much more enjoyable than it's new location beside the Gardner.
I'm surprised no one has really seemed to give it much thought.
Having aid that I don't support the MGM casino...if one is to be built the Oxford properties/convention centre bid is much better,
You have my attention. Go on.
So the government of Ontario says no to a casino at Ontario Place. I guess MGM didn't get that memo? No "single sprawling entertainment complex" attached to OP. No means no!
This proposal is best suited for the private sector, but you know the City is going to be on the hook for much of it.
Pass.
In fact 99% of these renderings typically look better than the final product.
You don't want to underwhelm when presenting a building rendering in this particular City.
LOL at the 2nd last rendering especially.... Put a wooden frame on that pic and it would look perfect in any Grandma's kitschy basement.
Lyle Lanely: You know, a town with money is a little like the mule with the spinning wheel. No one knows how he got it and danged if he knows how to use it.
[crowd laughs]
Homer: He heh... mule.
Lyle Lanely: The name's Lanely! Lyle Lanely. And I come before you good people tonight with an idea. Probably the greatest... Aw, it's not for you. It's more of a Shelbyville idea.
[starts to walk out of the room]
Mayor Quimby: [at the podium] Now wait just a minute! We're twice as smart as the people of Shelbyville. You just tell us your idea and we'll vote for it!
Lyle Lanely: All right. I'll tell you what I'll do! I'll show you my idea.
[runs over to a display covered by a sheet, and he whips it off, revealing a diorama of Springfield with a monorail model going through it]
Lyle Lanely: I give you the Springfield Monorail!
[crowd gasps]
Lyle Lanely: I've sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook, and by gum I've put them on the map!
[holds up a map of the U.S. with those towns' names drawn on with pen]
BMO field is 22k capacity with 16-18k attending TFC games. Whenever Exhibition is opened or there's a show at Ontario Place with a TFC game going on at the same time, it is impossible to get Parking. Now add Casino into the mix and it's impossible + 1.
Moron.
How come a small casino expansion at Woodbine isn't considered?
In the era of Child Mayor Ford, this is the least bad result.
Go for it.
Just make sure that the casino builder pays for an extension of the Finch West LRT from Humber College down Highway 27 to Woodbine and over to the Airport. Oh,and a Woodbine Station on the Kitchener GO line.
The fact that this idiotic casino plan is even being considered for the Ex grounds only underlines the fact that there is absolutely zero vision for this area. Sure, toss a casino here, there, anywhere.. there's no real plan for any of these sites. Half-assed city invites developers to do whatever they want. Just throw a few coins towards the $3 billion + state of good repairs of everything deficit and we'll approve anything!
Mark my words, this will be another feather in Ford's cap. This will be one sorely needed project that Moron McCheese Adam Vaughan and his merry band of meddlers won't manage to chase away interest in...much like they did to with the Woodbine Live investors. Those idiots set our city back so far and so often, it'll be years before we dig ourselves out.
My only concern for this casino is they don't close Casino Niagara so the exotics from across the border stay where they belong.
We should be on to this by now but no, "look at the shiny baubles!"
We truly are a nation of losers.
Everything in this proposal is great for the city, it's guests and employment.
It's time to grow up Toronto!
It's a very hard location to get to though. I really wish they'd get some viable public transit out there. Or put it in a different spot. Underground parking sounds like trouble.
I loved the CNE!!!! But it's been going downhill for years. They need to fix it up. I also think that BMO Field is the ugliest thing I've ever seen.