Mayor John Tory says he is open to restarting the debate on expanding gaming options at Woodbine Racetrack.

At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Tory confirmed that he is interested in revisiting the topic for the purpose of potentially creating more job growth in the area.

Tory said that he would like to see a "broader kind of entertainment complex" in the area which would include hotels and retail space.

"My principle interest in this is in jobs and investment in the northwest part of Toronto because they sadly need jobs and investment up there. It is an area that has not had adequate attention and where there are a lot of people looking for closer access to opportunity," he said.

"If that involves consideration of the requested expansion of gaming opportunities at Woodbine, then I am quite willing to have that discussion here." 

Tory's spokesperson Amanda Galbraith first confirmed the mayor's stance on the subject to CP24 on Wednesday morning after The Toronto Star published a story suggesting that the company that operates the Rexdale racetrack has been lobbying Tory and city councillors to reconsider a previous decision to ban table games at the facility.

In May 2013, city council voted 24-20 against the idea, however the vote came during a meeting in which a more controversial proposal to build massive casino in the city’s downtown core was also rejected and some proponents for expanded gaming at the facility have previously suggested that the issue did not get the full attention it deserved.

Galbraith confirmed to CP24 that Tory has met with representatives from Woodbine Entertainment Group in recent months but would only sign off on expanded gambling at the racetrack if it is part of a larger proposal.

That idea, however, was not met with widespread approval at city hall where some councillors expressed opposition to reopening a debate that dominated city politics for a year and others indicated that much more research is needed.

“I am surprised that we would want to reopen such a divisive and difficult debate that we just had quite frankly,” Ward 22 Coun. Josh Matlow said in an interview with CP24. “What I have heard from the vast majority of residents in my community is that they really don’t support expanding gambling in the city. It can ruin people’s lives.”

While Matlow said he would not support any motion to reopen debate on expanded gaming facilities at Woodbine, Ward 10 Coun. James Pasternak said that he believes Torontonians have only made it clear that they don't want "a Vegas-style large downtown casino."

“Gaming tables on a trial basis (at Woodbine) are worth looking at but we really have to run the economics and look at the social issues before we make any firm decision,” he said.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has set a deadline of April 30 for potential operators of a Greater Toronto Area gaming facility to submit a request for pre-qualification. From there the OLG will evaluate the submissions and provide an unknown number of operators with the Request for Proposal documents, allowing them to submit a formal bid.

In an email to CP24, a spokesman for the Crown corporation said he couldn’t discuss “hypotheticals” on a potential Woodbine expansion and whether there would be enough time to allow for debate but stressed that the OLG would not build or expand any game facilities without the support of municipal leaders.

“The OLG will only locate or expand gaming sites in communities and municipalities that support it. We have always said the OLG respects municipal decision-making across Ontario,” Tony Bitonti wrote.

A staff report tabled in 2013 suggested that expanding the gaming facilities at Woodbine would generate about 4,855 permanent jobs and $47 million in annual revenue for the city.

Woodbine Racetrack currently has about 3,000 slot machines, but is prohibited from offering any additional gaming options.

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