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coolcanadian said:
If anything, we should wait and see what the design is. If its bad, then ok I'm wrong. But at this point, we should't say it will be bad so therefore we should just build something less amazing, or go back to what we have already with a little improvement.

We had the tallest building for over 30 years.

We have one of the best amusement parks in the world.

We had the first retractable roof stadium.

we have the largest underground mall, PATH, that countless cities look up too.

We have skyscrapers cooled by the lake.

There are countless examples of amazing in Toronto. We should't say this will not be one just because its easy to say that.
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Oooh. Wow. Wow. Wow.

But when it comes to an "amazing" that is less Guinness-trivial and more organically *of* Toronto, there are events like Jane's Walk this past weekend (which Toronto pioneered), Doors Open in a month (sorta ditto there), and as far as the star-studded and dazzling go, TIFF, NXNE, etc. Thoughtful Torontonians would gladly fall back on those; whereas the so-called "one of the best amusement parks in the world" you speak of is basically out of sight, out of mind, and gladly so.

Think of Toronto as Feist.

feist.jpg


Not as Holly Madison.

holly-madison-dancing.jpg


Get the picture?
 
Just because you don't like Wonderland doesn't mean others don't. In fact, it is the most visited seasonal amusement park in North America.

You are just adding to my point that we have a lot of great stuff in Toronto. Without variety and diversity, our city would suck.

I was just listing examples. TIFF, Doors Open, Jane's Walk are also great.

I think we are very lucky. This is a rare opportunity to create something really amazing.
 
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coolcanadian said:
Just because you don't like Wonderland doesn't mean others don't. In fact, it is the most visited seasonal amusement park in North America.
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I think it's more a matter of "what kind of others"--and, look at it this way: it's in Vaughan for a reason. As is Vaughan Mills.

Sometimes, you leave me with the impression that your own perception of Toronto is excessively defined through the prism of one of those Hard Rock Cafe double-deckers....
 
adma said:
I think it's more a matter of "what kind of others"--and, look at it this way: it's in Vaughan for a reason. As is Vaughan Mills.

Sometimes, you leave me with the impression that your own perception of Toronto is excessively defined through the prism of one of those Hard Rock Cafe double-deckers....
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I'm giving in example of a great attraction in our city. Trust me, I would not want to see a Canada's Wonderland downtown Toronto.

My point is, we have amazing things in our city, and we should think big for Ontario Place. It can be a great addition to our city if executed well, and I think that, with help from a private company, it can truly become something amazing.
 
Truthfully i think its a no brainer, that something in the next couple years will be done to rejuvenate Ontario and Exhibition Place....What, who knows?
 
Automation Gallery said:
Truthfully i think its a no brainer, that something in the next couple years will be done to rejuvenate Ontario and Exhibition Place....What, who knows?
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Not bloody likely. Based on experience with other OLG casinos, revenue goes to the province, while the city will incur loads of costs for a miniscule return.
 
grey said:
Not bloody likely. Based on experience with other OLG casinos, revenue goes to the province, while the city will incur loads of costs for a miniscule return.
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1. Lets say (for example) that a huge casino, partly built by MGM, is a part of the new Ontario Place. -- I am not saying that we turn OP into one big casino, look at my previous points for what I mean -- If it becomes a major destination, transit towards it will be improved.

2. Yes, it would be nice if all the proceeds went to Toronto. However, saying that the province will get most of the proceeds is not a reason not but build it. If it truly does become a grand tourist attraction that benefits the city, it does not really matter who gets the profits. Of course it matters who gets the, but my point is that if it is a great addition to the city, its not the end of the world if most of the money goes to the province.

In fact, more hotels, tourists, and convention space will bring more money into the city.
 
Isn't it funny how Paul Godfrey was involved with the money losing Skydome deal and now with the new casino. Why would you trust the person who made a huge blunder with Skydome (how much did the public lose, something near 1/2 a billion dollars on that?) also decide what happens with the casino? I just think it's crazy. Hasn't the guy already proven that he's not good at making public/private financial decisions? How can a guy who studied and put together a financial plan that lost a half billion, still even have job? (and a great one at that)

We live in a really screwed up world!
 
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Torontovibe said:
How can a guy who studied and put together a financial plan that lost a half billion, still even have job?
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Unfortunately he knows people.

As Publisher of the Toronto Sun, he unsuccessfully tried to arrange the sale of the Sun to American interests in what would have been a sweetheart deal for him. As I recall, Sun employees almost mutinied over that.

Whatever he's for, I'm against.
 
Torontovibe said:
Isn't it funny how Paul Godfrey was involved with the money losing Skydome deal and now with the new casino. Why would you trust the person who made a huge blunder with Skydome (how much did the public lose, something near 1/2 a billion dollars on that?) also decide what happens with the casino? I just think it's crazy. Hasn't the guy already proven that he's not good at making public/private financial decisions? How can a guy who studied and put together a financial plan that lost a half billion, still even have job? (and a great one at that)

We live in a really screwed up world!
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Not here to defend PG......But how did the public lose half a billion on SkyDome?

As the years wear on, my recollection gets fuzzier but was it not something like:

$600 million cost (which included, amongst others, the stadium, the skywalk, john street bridge)

$200 million of that was private sector money

$400 million was the net public cost.

Subsequently the hotel was severed and sold for (if I recall correctly....$25 mil.....could be off on that)

Then the province sold the stadium for $150 mil.

Even setting the hotel sale aside (cause I really am not sure what that brought in) $250 mil is a lot less than half a billion and we got a couple of nifty bits of infrastructure from that so you might, even allocate some of that loss to those.

Did it lose money? Yes......big, brand new "out there" stuff sometimes(always?) has cost surprises........half a billion? I don't think so.
 
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