Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
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Construction has not yet begun on the $40-million Spirit Sands Casino complex, shown here in an artist’s conception. The casino complex near Carberry was originally supposed to open this year.
Waywayseecappo First Nation Chief Murray Clearsky is calling for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to abandon plans to build a casino near Carberry, and instead build one near Brandon.
"There’s more traffic and we have land there," Clearsky said.
The Spirit Sands Casino project has been in the works for years, and was originally supposed to open in 2012. Construction has not yet begun on the $40-million complex, which is to be located on Swan Lake First Nation next to Highway 5, near the communities of Carberry and Glenboro, and adjacent to Spruce Woods Provincial Park.
Clearsky said the current location for the Spirit Sands project is not a good idea.
"There’s less traffic there," he said. "There’s a few casinos that are established near parks and … look at how they’re making out. They’re not doing very good."
Clearsky planned to meet with Grand Chief Derek Nepinak yesterday in Clear Lake to discuss the casino issue.
An AMC spokesperson said there have been no decisions to abandon the project, and it is still in the development stage.
"The chiefs have engaged Red Lake Gaming Enterprises to manage Spirit Sands Casino, and Red Lake and the AMC are working together to secure financing," Sheila North Wilson, AMC’s chief communications officer, wrote in an email.
"The AMC has carried out its processes for Spirit Sands Casino and due diligence and continues to work with potential financiers as they carry out their due diligence processes."
Back in 2008, Waywayseecappo was one of three First Nations, including Keeseekoowenin and Rolling River, that were given the go-ahead from the province to build a medium-sized casino in the RM of Elton, just outside Brandon city limits.
The project was abandoned after negotiations were derailed because of a dispute over the original profit-sharing arrangement.
Brandon Mayor Shari Decter Hirst said having a casino "right on the doorstep of Brandon" would not be beneficial to the city.
There would be no economic benefit, yet Brandon would still experience the social costs associated with gaming, she said.
"The province has been very clear that they have a gaming partnership with AMC, and the First Nations of Manitoba," Decter Hirst said.
"Brandon has also been quite clear that they reject the idea of an urban reserve."
The property in question is in the RM of Elton near the northwest corner of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 10 junction — about 530 acres.
"It is unserviced, so it presents some challenges that way," Decter Hirst said. "Brandon doesn’t have any infrastructure capacity right now to make available to them."
Decter Hirst said she was "quite surprised" to hear of this idea through the media.
"We have not had any conversations with AMC in regards to the Waywayseecappo property," she said.
"I’m hoping that we can at least have more open lines of communication so that we can gather more information."
Decter Hirst also predicts that Brandon will have its own casino down the road.
"It’s inevitable that the city of Brandon at some point, whether it’s a year from now or 20 years from now, is going to have a casino," she said.
» jaustin@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition April 12, 2012
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Waywayseecappo First Nation Chief Murray Clearsky is calling for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to abandon plans to build a casino near Carberry, and instead build one near Brandon.
"There’s more traffic and we have land there," Clearsky said.
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Waywayseecappo First Nation Chief Murray Clearsky is calling for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to abandon plans to build a casino near Carberry, and instead build one near Brandon.
"There’s more traffic and we have land there," Clearsky said.
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Posted by:Bandb
April 12, 2012 at 5:11 PM
I would like this statement clarified..."There’s a few casinos that are established near parks and … look at how they’re making out. They’re not doing very good." Which casino's and where are they? Do you actually have something called "facts" to back this up, or are you just making this stuff up as you go along?
Didn't Waywayseecapo already have a shot at a casino and they couldn't make it work? Sounds like sour grapes Mr. Clearsky...
Posted by:Andy9
April 12, 2012 at 9:10 AM
No