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Casino New Brunswick Earns Community Approval

Posted on May 8th, 2011

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Residents of New Brunswick changed the way they perceive the casino in Moncton, and are now adopting a positive attitude regarding the presence of the gambling facility. This is evidently a 180 degree turnaround from the original reaction which the aptly named Casino New Brunswick received in 2008 when announcements of its construction were released. That time, people grew concerned that the casino will bring nothing but logistical and social nightmares such as heavy traffic, gambling addiction and more crime incidents. In fact, those who opposed the project actively verbalized their stands for two years during meetings of the planning commission and city council. When Casino NB finally opened on 04 May 2010, opposition continued. However, after a year of full operations, people started to acknowledge the constructive effects which community residents were starting to enjoy. In a nutshell, the casino is now a major contributory factor to Moncton’s vision of being the “entertainment capital of Atlantic Canada”.

One of the more vocal government leaders who were not in favor of the casino at that time is Councilor Daniel Bourgeois. A day before Casino NB opened in 2009, Bourgeois said in an interview that although Moncton expects additional revenue from property taxes, it will not necessarily mean more income for the city since funding is required for supplementary emergency services within the vicinity of the casino. Nowadays, Bourgeois admits that he no longer holds the same opinion, stating his previous fears may have been exaggerated. Casino NB’s acting chief operating officer Cameron Uhren said that apart from the revenues generated, the gaming facility’s most important achievements is being able to overcome the initial negativities and concerns of the province. This was achieved by emphasizing that the casino focuses on forging a symbiotic relationship with the community. The casino actively supported and participated in the City of Moncton’s events and activities through sponsorships and donations.

Furthermore, the establishment has greatly contributed to the tourism development and reputation of the province. It is estimated that over a million tourists went to enjoy the casinos alone. Its entertainment centre also delighted residents—and 60,000 visitors—who witnessed more than 60 performances by famous celebrities like Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers, Regis Philbin and Howie Mandel. City economic development specialist Ben Champoux commented that Magnetic Hall as the casino’s location did wonders for the area, attracting travelers to visit all throughout the year. The concerns regarding a possible increase in crime incidence and worse traffic situation also seem to be nothing but speculative. The casino’s 45-man security is able to properly and efficiently address any problem in the facility. Those who live nearby say that traffic problems are non-existent.

Bourgeois even gives the Casino NB an A- grade, owing to the fact that its location does not encourage downtown employees to spend their lunch hour gambling. On top of that, video-lottery terminals installed in the casino also diminish the city resident’s tendency to gamble. Such helps the province in its gambling addiction program. The matter of gambling addiction is no new concept to Uhren, who claims that fighting the said addiction is his top priority. He adds that while majority of casino players do not have gambling-related problems, the industry shall always encounter persons who do. To counter such, Casino NB attempts to be hands-on by educating patrons through information dissemination regarding aspects and issues of gaming. This includes identifying the first stages of gambling addiction.

Interestingly, Casino NB executives apparently overlooked one important aspect of operations—the inclusion of bilingual services in a casino located in a province that is officially bilingual. This oversight caused many visitors to file complaints after the casino opened its doors to the public. Uhren said that the problem was immediately addressed. Now, Casino NB prides itself from having bilingual frontline employees, which compose 65% of the total staff.

Still, while Casino NB reaps the fruits of its efforts, small clubs have either been closed, or are worrying about their future. These clubs, characterized as non-profit, depend on video-lottery terminals for revenue. Because of the presence of the casino, and in view of pertinent provisions in the Responsible Gaming Policy, clubs near the casino with terminals that rake in less than $6,000 a week were removed. Club president Bill Hamilton shared that the revenue loss made it tremendously difficult for them to continue supporting charities. Disappointed, Hamilton said, “They take away the VLTs from non-profit clubs, but yet they give them to the for-profit establishments.”