Letters continue to fly about the proposed Camrose Casino move to Edmonton.

Alberta MLA Scott Cyr weighed in on Edmonton city council’s recent decision to send a letter to Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), which is deciding the fate of Camrose Casino. The casino was thrust back into the spotlight last month when it applied for the second time to move its operations to south Edmonton, causing backlash from local charities and non-profits.

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The issue initially came up two years ago when Capital City Casinos Ltd. applied to move, but was subsequently turned down by AGLC, whose spokesperson said at the time that the proposal “lacked community support, including from the general public, local government and existing casino operators.”

The casino reignited talks of the move with a newer application that was submitted earlier in the summer. Under the new proposal, the 88,000 sq. ft. facility would be located at 420 Parsons Rd. in Edmonton’s south, but Edmonton charities and non-profits would still be excluded from hosting, which community groups took issue with.

Last week, the city added its name to the list of detractors when it voted to send a letter asking AGLC to deny the move once again.

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Now, Cyr, who represents Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul, is firing (words) back at the City of Edmonton, asking council to change its stance and support the casino’s move.

“Many Northern/North-Central Albertans see the manner in which this situation has been handled as callous to the needs of the communities across Northern and North-Central Alberta,” wrote Cyr.

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The letter brought up, what Cyr referred to as, inconsistencies in the City’s stance, saying that the city wrote a similar letter when the proposal to move was made two years ago, before “softening” its position after the proposal was denied, according to Cyr. With its most recent letter, Cyr accused the city of “flip-flopping” on the issue.

In its letter to AGLC, the City of Edmonton echoed concerns from local community groups and charities about an expected decline in charity revenue caused by Camrose Casino’s move.

“Without further changes to AGLC’s policies, the relocation of the Camrose casino will result in a five per cent decline in revenues to Edmonton charities. This impact is significant for Edmonton charities who are also managing increased demands,” the letter said.

Not only did Cyr refute those claims as misleading, he wrote that the city was being greedy.

“The current stance is not just misleading—it is a clear manifestation of greed and selfishness. You know that Northern Alberta money has supported Edmonton’s charities for years, but now, when it is time to give Northern charities their fair share, Edmonton refuses to share the largess it has received,” said Cyr in the letter.

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Part of Cyr’s point was the inherent benefits for an urban charity looking to host a casino night in Edmonton. With the second highest revenue and the fourth shortest wait times across the province for charitable gaming proceeds, Edmonton’s casino market is both profitable and relatively speedy.

For its part, Camrose currently has the longest wait time and the smallest revenue, meaning delays and diminished returns for the charities it hosts.

Cyr asserted that as a northern hub and gateway to the north, large portions of Edmonton casinos’ traffic comes from rural or other travellers passing through the capital city, which means it should be more willing to allow a rural casino within the city limits.

There is a precedent for the move in Calgary, where the Ace Blackfoot Casino sits within the city’s limits, but services rural charities.

Despite the concerns raised in Cyr’s letter, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said in an emailed statement that in addition to the issues brought up by charities, the infrastructure near the proposed site couldn’t handle the increased traffic.

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“At the end of the day, it is Edmonton City Council’s responsibility to advocate for the residents of Edmonton. This application would negatively impact Edmonton residents and charitable organizations,” said Sohi.

“At this time, Edmonton City Council will not be reconsidering our stance on the Camrose Casino application.”

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