[Automation Gallery]

MGM Resorts dangles Cirque du Soleil carrot during casino lobbying

MGM Resorts International, one of the casino giants lobbying Toronto councillors on the benefits of a downtown gambling mecca, is sweetening the pot with the promise of a permanent Cirque du Soleil facility.

If council votes to allow a casino in Toronto and MGM ends up winning a tender by Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., its “integrated resort” will include an outpost of the Montreal-based circus empire, Alan Feldman, MGM’s senior vice-president of public affairs, said in an interview Tuesday.

MGM wants to build a $3 billion to $4 billion resort with a 1,000-room hotel, convention space, restaurants, entertainment and shopping — a complex that would succeed only if it boosts tourism to Toronto. It would directly create 8,000 new jobs, including 5,000 in construction over three years, Feldman claimed.

MGM’s preferred location is Exhibition Place, possibly with some family-friendly attractions on the Ontario Place side of Lake Shore Blvd. W., but the company is willing to look at other downtown Toronto locations.
More...........http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/cit...irque-du-soleil-carrot-during-casino-lobbying

 

[gristle]

It's clear that you are a fanboy of this thing, but the numbers being tossed around should indicate that these proposals are largely smoke and mirrors. One quote is for 12,000 high paying jobs, the next is for 8,000. There is a promise for a 1,000 room hotel without an explanation about what impact that would have on other city hotels. A convention centre is promised, but the city already has a convention centre and major trade show space. The shopping would be nothing but an indoor mall, and the restaurants would likely be nothing more than dressed up chain venues that would suck customers away from the existing restaurants. As for the theatres, you would likely see Mirvish close up shop. The Elgin and Wintergarden could close - with AG no doubt promoting a soopertall for that location.

An "integrated resort" means nothing more than a venue cut off from the city. It doesn't pay for casino to have its patrons wander off, and nearby "competition" would have to be destroyed to make the casino into the destination. In short, destabilize and destroy. OLG and the big casino combines don't care, they just want their revenue. Screw the city.

 

[Automation Gallery]

It's clear that you are a fanboy of this thing,
with AG no doubt promoting a soopertall for that location.

Yes i am, and whats wrong with that............and whats up with the smart remarks
gee, thank god im not a socialist

 

[adma]

Yes i am, and whats wrong with that............and whats up with the smart remarks
gee, thank god im not a socialist

Uh, let me get this straight: you'd actually welcome the replacement of the Elgin/Wintergarden with a supertall?!?!??

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Yes i am, and whats wrong with that............and whats up with the smart remarks
gee, thank god im not a socialist

AG -- if someone calls you a name, and then you call them a Socialist (and, since you don't actually seem to know the difference between various left-leaning political parties), aren't you, I don't know, call them names? For once in your life, defend your view of the world and Toronto rather than calling everyone else a lefty if they don't agree with you!

 

[DavidJamesTO]

Uh, let me get this straight: you'd actually welcome the replacement of the Elgin/Wintergarden with a supertall?!?!??

Yes, those were his exact words. Ever observant, I see.

Casino theatres tend to attract a different class of entertainment from Broadway--concerts and variety shows typically. The only Broadway-style show I've heard of at a casino is the reduced-length Phantom of the Opera, and I doubt any company is going to put that much effort into setting up a show in Toronto. If anyone should be worried, it's MLSE; they have a new competitor for concerts.

 

[TOareaFan]

It's clear that you are a fanboy of this thing, but the numbers being tossed around should indicate that these proposals are largely smoke and mirrors. One quote is for 12,000 high paying jobs, the next is for 8,000. There is a promise for a 1,000 room hotel without an explanation about what impact that would have on other city hotels. A convention centre is promised, but the city already has a convention centre and major trade show space. The shopping would be nothing but an indoor mall, and the restaurants would likely be nothing more than dressed up chain venues that would suck customers away from the existing restaurants. As for the theatres, you would likely see Mirvish close up shop. The Elgin and Wintergarden could close - with AG no doubt promoting a soopertall for that location.

An "integrated resort" means nothing more than a venue cut off from the city. It doesn't pay for casino to have its patrons wander off, and nearby "competition" would have to be destroyed to make the casino into the destination. In short, destabilize and destroy. OLG and the big casino combines don't care, they just want their revenue. Screw the city.

Yes i am, and whats wrong with that............and whats up with the smart remarks
gee, thank god im not a socialist

Uh, let me get this straight: you'd actually welcome the replacement of the Elgin/Wintergarden with a supertall?!?!??

Been away so let me understand how this discussion went:

Poster 1: here is an article suggesting what 1 potential proponent hopes to deliver.

Poster 2: because of that posting (and I guess previous ones) calls Poster 1 a name reflecting Poster 1's opinion of the casino and suggesting their hypothesis/reason for opposing the casino which includes, inter-alia, the closing of a theatre complex on Yonge Street to create room for a supertall.

Poster 1: Admits to/accepts the name...that's all.

Poster 2: Reads that Poster 1 would welcome the closing of the theatre complex and the construction of said, hypothetical, supertall.

Do we ever wonder how these discussions get sidetracked from the real to the imagined.

 

[TOareaFan]

Yes, those were his exact words. Ever observant, I see.

Casino theatres tend to attract a different class of entertainment from Broadway--concerts and variety shows typically. The only Broadway-style show I've heard of at a casino is the reduced-length Phantom of the Opera, and I doubt any company is going to put that much effort into setting up a show in Toronto. If anyone should be worried, it's MLSE; they have a new competitor for concerts.

I am not sure I would be too concerned if I was MLSE....but if I was a town considering sinking 300 million or so of taxpayer dollars into an arena that's business plan was to host 140 concerts a year...I would now be thinking.....where are those coming from?

 

[adma]

Been away so let me understand how this discussion went:

Poster 1: here is an article suggesting what 1 potential proponent hopes to deliver.

Poster 2: because of that posting (and I guess previous ones) calls Poster 1 a name reflecting Poster 1's opinion of the casino and suggesting their hypothesis/reason for opposing the casino which includes, inter-alia, the closing of a theatre complex on Yonge Street to create room for a supertall.

Poster 1: Admits to/accepts the name...that's all.

Poster 2: Reads that Poster 1 would welcome the closing of the theatre complex and the construction of said, hypothetical, supertall.

Do we ever wonder how these discussions get sidetracked from the real to the imagined.

But then again, keep this in mind. You quoted Poster 1's *full* post. Poster 2's response only quoted the following part of Poster 1's post...

It's clear that you are a fanboy of this thing,
with AG no doubt promoting a soopertall for that location.

So, you can see where Poster 3 is coming from.

 

[TOareaFan]

But then again, keep this in mind. You quoted Poster 1's *full* post. Poster 2's response only quoted the following part of Poster 1's post...


So, you can see where Poster 3 is coming from.

Perhaps but people are arguing over hypotheticals........as an example, I don't think the fears expressed by poster 2 are warranted....but, they are his/her opinions and that is fine but until we know 1) will Toronto say yes to the province locating a casino within Toronto 2) which site the province and the city agree is most suitable 3) which bidders are attracted to that site and what they propose and 4) which bid wins......it is all hypothetical and hardly worth falling out over. just my opinion.

 

[GenerationW]

...its “integrated resort†will include an outpost of the Montreal-based circus empire...

Is this really much of a carrot? An "outpost" circus sounds like a dollarama version of the main show

 

[junctionist]

Outpost? This isn't 1720. We need the main show for the main metropolis. The venue should be guaranteed to be the place where the latest Cirque spectacles will debuted in the world.

 

[gristle]

AG -- if someone calls you a name, and then you call them a Socialist (and, since you don't actually seem to know the difference between various left-leaning political parties), aren't you, I don't know, call them names? For once in your life, defend your view of the world and Toronto rather than calling everyone else a lefty if they don't agree with you!

Well, to be clear, I didn't call AG a name. I am, however, guilty of mocking him - and quite unrepentant. He appears to have taken the bait - due largely to his fixation on tallness as the only worthwhile quality necessary for urban development. For reasons unknown, he has duly thanked his lowercase deity for not being something he has no knowledge of.

 

[TOareaFan]

Is this really much of a carrot? An "outpost" circus sounds like a dollarama version of the main show

Outpost? This isn't 1720. We need the main show for the main metropolis. The venue should be guaranteed to be the place where the latest Cirque spectacles will debuted in the world.

Are we getting a bit hung up on the word "outpost"? It was a word used in the Star....not even a quoted word so, likely, just a journo trying to say location but picking a different word.

As for demanding all new shows debut here? Is that realistic? Don't they have other "outposts"? Do wemake similar demands on other businesses? Should the Mirvishes be banned from putting on shows like War Horse because they have played somewhere else? Besides, the permanent locations of CdS tend to do shows different from the touring tent shows.....so they are somewhat unique to the city they are in.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Yes i am, and whats wrong with that

Let me clarify that, yes i am a fan of having a casino here in Toronto.....just like many of you are fans of having, brothels, affordable housing, hostels, parks, squares, etc. etc. etc. here..so what? Hey, different strokes for different folks
Regarding supertalls, i couldnt care less where they put one...
and this tall thing fetish, thats all BS created by you....i like them tall, short, or whatever, as long as they bring business (retail), people, and vibrancy to an area...
Come-on, look around and see how they have changed Toronto for the better