A new location for Innisfil’s casino may be in the cards, but the days of betting on the horses at Georgian Downs could be numbered.
Council has unanimously agreed to support Gateway Casinos’ Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) request to rezone lands near Highway 400 and Highway 89, allowing it to build a new gaming facility before the expiration of its lease at the Georgian Downs site.
While Gateway Casinos representatives previously declined to specifically say when the lease ends, its correspondence with town staff indicated an expiry date of late 2027-early 2028.
Since the casino first came to Innisfil in 2001, the community has reaped more than $107 million in cash benefits from hosting, including nearly $7 million since 2018 — when Gateway took over operation of the Georgian Downs casino — under the Ontario Lottery and Gaming’s (OLG) revenue sharing agreement.
For Deputy Mayor Kenneth Fowler, supporting the request is a safe bet.
“The last few times MZOs have been brought to us, they’ve been hypothetical situations, they’ve been theorized,” he said. “They haven’t been proven.”
That isn’t the case with this application, Fowler says. It’s being made by an organization that has benefited Innisfil and wants to remain within the municipal borders. For Fowler, Gateway has “put their money where their mouth is.”
“This is something we can take very seriously because they have a proven track record,” he said, pointing to “numerous capital projects” that have been funded through income gained by hosting the casino. “This is something that will benefit Innisfil overall.”
The MZO request is for 239 Reive Blvd., which comprises about 30 per cent of the current Innisfil Creek Golf Club. While the property is zoned commercial tourist, casino uses are not included in the broad spectrum encompassed by the current regulations. A regular zoning bylaw and official plan amendment process could add another 18 months to the timeline, which is time Gateway has told council it does not have if it wants to keep operating a casino in Innisfil come 2028.
If an MZO is granted, the approval process to move the casino to the new location remains extensive. Planning and growth director Andria Leigh said it was the town’s understanding that an MZO would “allow that runway” for a new facility to be constructed and come online while the current casino remains in operation.
“There’s a fairly significant process to construct this new casino and then there’s a transfer process to relocate to this location,” she said.
That includes consultation with the public and Indigenous communities. Gateway has made mention of a public open house in its application to the town, but just what the consultation process will look like remains to be seen.
“Some of that will be determined through the Ministry (of Municipal Affairs and Housing), in terms of what will be required to submit the application,” Leigh said. “We are looking to have some further discussions to have some understanding.”
Similar clarity on the scope of necessary environmental studies would also be provided through direction from the ministry, councillors were told.
While Gateway operates the casino at Georgian Downs, the overall property is run by Great Canadian Entertainment. The organization’s Bruce Barber spoke to councillors at open forum and said while Great Canadian will respect whatever decision the town makes regarding the MZO, the future of horse racing on the site is clear if the casino leaves.
“If Gateway ultimately chooses to move casino operations from Georgian Downs, it will mean the end of horse racing in the current location, as well as the closure of the current location,” he said.
Barber continued to discuss the economic impact to the area in that case, which would affect not only the people employed at Georgian Downs, but also those in the racing industry, which includes $2.5 million in winnings.
He also refuted what OLG had previously suggested, that racing is guaranteed to stay in Innisfil until 2028.
“The reality of if it is, we’re not sure where it will go after this year,” Barber said. “There is no contract with the Ontario government via (Ontario Racing) after 2026.”
Mayor Lynn Dollin was hopeful Barber’s predictions would not come to fruition but suggested the town will try to stay neutral.
“It’s always been Innisfil’s MO (modus operandi) to get out of the way of business and let them do what they feel is best for them,” she said. “Each of the companies needs to make the decision they feel is best for their company and move forward the way they wish to move forward.”
Georgian Downs has been in operation since 2001. Its construction was preceded by an MZO issued in July 2000.
Leigh confirmed the zoning currently on the property would allow for a variety of uses, should the facility shut down entirely.
