A request for two casinos in Ottawa, Canada, has been rejected ahead of a debate on the issue by the city's finance and economic development committee.
The committee had been set to vote on whether to get behind Mayor Jim Watson’s request. The mayor had said he wants the city to keep existing slots at Rideau-Carleton Raceway while adding a second facility elsewhere.
Watson’s office said he had asked Premier Kathleen Wynne and finance minister Charles Sousa to pressure for a yes or no answer. In a letter rejecting the request, Sousa wrote the model for one casino in Ottawa’s zone was based on “extensive analytical modeling” and the proximity to other major gaming centres was a factor.
