NIAGARA DEVELOPMENTS 101

CANADIAN MOTOR SPEEDWAY

2009-05-08T10:51:00.007-06:00

IMAGE OF NEW CANADIAN MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Key features of the CMS

Jeff Gordon signature speedway.
65,000 seat facility expandable to 100,000 seats.
Lifestyle village hotel, and hospitality clusters.
Composite materials, fuel research & development complex.
One mile oval course, 2.6 mile FIA certified road course, skid pad and drifting circuit.
Designed for open wheel, stock car, mixed configuration and motorcycle racing.
Commercial complex housing strategic industry manufacturers & technology suppliers.
Jeff Gordon Driving Schools and Driver experience institute.
Eco Park, bicycle paths and campgrounds.
8,000 seat amphitheater
80 Luxury suites

NASCAR IN NIAGARA? MULTIPLE ARTICLES

2009-04-10T16:21:00.004-06:00

JEFF GORDON INVOLVED
IN SPEEDWAY FOR NIAGARA

When golfing legends like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer finish their playing days, they often become involved in golf course design. It looks like NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon is following a similar path in auto racing. The four-time Sprint Cup Series champion is involved with a consortium planning to build a $172 million, 623-acre racetrack in Fort Erie, Ont. John Bickford, vice president and general manager of Jeff Gordon Inc., verified to The Buffalo News on Wednesday that Gordon is involved in the project. Bickford — who is also Gordon’s stepfather — stated via e-mail that while there is a letter of understanding between the parties, there is no signed agreement at this time. Gordon was not available to comment. Last October, officials held a news conference in Fort Erie announcing plans to build a 65,000- seat facility located less than four miles from the border, backed by a Kuwaiti financial company called Bayt Al Mal Investments. The track would be located just off the Queen Elizabeth Way, between Bowen and Gilmore roads, officials said. “Jeff Gordon is a world-acclaimed driver and he also has Jeff Gordon [Inc.],” said Jim Thibert, general manager of the Fort Erie Economic Development & Tourism Corp. “It would be huge for this project.” Thibert said Gordon and his representatives have been involved with the project for about two years. “His people from Jeff Gordon [Inc.] have been in Fort Erie,” Thibert said. Gordon’s name was linked to the project in a story in last month’s inaugural issue of “Professional Motorsport Circuit.” The article was written by Azhar Mohammad, who is the executive director of Emirates Consulting, a Toronto-based subsidiary of Bayt Al Mal Investments. Thibert called Mohammad “the official spokesman” of the venture. The article bills the track as a “Jeff Gordon Signature Speedway” and states that the complex will feature “Jeff Gordon Driving Schools and Driver Experience Institute.” The Jeff Gordon Racing School is currently offered at various tracks. The article also states that the complex will include a one-mile oval track as well as a 2.6- mile road course, 80 luxury suites, a hotel, 8,000-seat amphitheater and campgrounds. It says the facility is set to open for racing in the summer of 2011. “We are at a pretty advanced stage—a lot of money has been spent to get to this point,” said Thibert. “From my knowledge of the process and conversations with the director of planning, there’s not a whole lot left.”

3 PROPOSALS MADE FOR RACETRACKS

There's not one, but three separate proposals to build a motor speedway on rural lands along the Queen Elizabeth Way between Niagara Falls and Fort Erie. Sun Media has learned through sources that an investment group is preparing to bring a proposal to Niagara Falls council in the coming weeks to develop a racetrack on a 230-acre parcel of land on Sodom Road. This is a separate proposal from one Fort Erie councillors may soon find on their desks, involving land near Bowen and Gilmore roads. Ken Mech, manager of current planning for the City of Niagara Falls, said a group of "Ontario investors" wants to build a 5.6-kilometre road course on land bounded by Bossert Road, Sodom Road and the QEW that could be available for IRL racing. The IRL is the Indy Racing League, an American-based open-wheel racing series, which includes the popular Indianapolis 500. "(The proponents are) hoping to get some sanctioned events for that," Mech told Sun Media. "They are hoping to ultimately attract a series of eight national and international racing events by 2014 -- either IRL, drag racing, or a combination of both." Mech said the application filed with city hall includes an estimate that events would draw from 10,000 to 40,000 visitors a weekend and provide a huge injection of money into the local economy. "They (the unnamed proponents) are proporting an economic impact of $110 million per annum in the form of accommodations, restaurant expenditures and other visitor spending." He said the investment group's application, which is currently under review by the city's planning department, also calls for a one-kilometre go-kart track, a "modest industrial-type park" and some kind of museum. Mech was unable to provide an estimate of the cost to build the complex. Niagara Falls Mayor Ted Salci was surprised to hear something was in the works. "I'm not aware of this," Salci said when contacted by Sun Media Wednesday. "I haven't heard that at all. I'll find out." The Sodom Road proposal wasn't news to Jim Thibert, general manager of the Fort Erie Economic Development and Tourism Corp. Thibert said there are three groups looking to build racetracks -- two in Fort Erie and one in Niagara Falls at the Sodom Road location. "We are aware of the Bayt al Mal proposal here (in Fort Erie), we are aware of a proposal from proponents who are looking at a site in Niagara Falls, then we have a third proposal for Fort Erie," he said. Last October, plans were announced for a $200-million, 65,000-seat international motor speedway planned for lands near the QEW, between Gilmore Road and Bowen Road. The project is backed financially by Bayt al Mal, a Kuwait-based company. Thibert said the Bayt al Mal proposal is working its way through Fort Erie's planning department. The company has done numerous environmental, planning and engineering studies to support its application. "They (Bayt al Mal) are considerably well along," said Thibert. They've got several million dollars tied up in this, so it's a deadly serious proposition." Thibert said there is another proposal for a racetrack inside the Fort Erie boundary, but would not share details.

Files from the St. Catharines Standard

BROCK UNIVERSITY EXPANSION

2009-04-10T16:08:00.004-06:00

NEW INTERNATIONAL SERVICES BUILDING BREAKS GROUND

Today, Brock University held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction on its new International Services Building. This milestone represents the first tangible result of The Campaign for a Bold New Brock -- the biggest capital fundraising campaign in the University's history launched earlier this month. The building will be the new home for Brock's international operations and the English as a Second Language (ESL) services, including the Intensive ESL program. It will also house the Faculty of Humanities' Department of Classics and expand the department's research and teaching space. The 4,000-square-metre building, designed by Robbie Young & Wright/IBI Group Architects from Toronto, will be located in the area behind 573 Glenridge Ave. The groundbreaking featured remarks by President Jack Lightstone; Kim Meade, Associate Vice-President, Student Services; and Rosemary Hale, Dean of Humanities. "Our world gets smaller every day. That is why our University prioritizes such projects as the International Services Building -- to provide our students with universal learning experiences and opportunities," said Lightstone. "Brock owes it to our own local community to look beyond Niagara, and we are already committed to the concept of a global perspective in a knowledge-based economy -- we already have more than 1,400 international students from more than 80 countries around the world. And we aim to increase our international student population to 10 per cent of our student body, up from less than five per cent." "It is fitting that Classics is a part of a building focused on International Services. This department, concerned with ancient cultures and ancient languages, knows full well the measure of success for internationalization," said Hale. "This new facility will have a museum and preservation lab to help expand the resrearch capacity of Classics and archaeology. Here the students and faculty will be able to analyze the importance of understanding the past." "The consolidation of all international activities under one roof, will support our Academic Plan and the specific objectives to increase the number of international students, foster within our community a sense of social responsibility, and stimulate faculty, staff and student engagement on an international level," said Meade. "As more international citizens come to Brock as researchers and scholars, they contribute their own unique perspectives to our teaching and learning environment." The ceremony also included representatives from the three segments of the University's international operations, Facilities Management and contractors involved with the project.

Files from the Brock University Web News

ST. CATHARINES TO START NEW HOSPITAL SOON

2009-04-10T15:47:00.003-06:00

RENDERING OF NEW 4th AVENUE HOSPITAL

It was touch and go for a while, and at times it seemed like the plan to build a new hospital in St.Catharines would forever be on financial life support. Every time it seemed a deal to finance the construction of the $759-million complex was within reach, something would go wrong. “We came close several times, but each time it fell apart,” said Mike Maracso, CEO of Plenary Health, the company building the hospital. Banks and other big lenders were simply unwilling to cough up that kind of cash. Maracso said in previous projects it would take the company three weeks to finalize a financial deal. But the St. Catharines hospital seemed like it was stuck in development limbo for months. Now, the frustration and the waiting is over. Plenary, backed by the Royal Bank of Canada, the Bank of Montreal and TD Bank, has the money it needs. Work at the new hospital site at Fourth Avenue and First Street is set to begin soon. “This has been a long time in coming,” said Niagara Health System board of trustees chairwoman Betty-Lou Souter. “You have no idea how many times I have been asked if this day was ever going to come. Well now it has.” Within weeks, surveying at the hospital site will start, security fences will go up and top soil removal will begin. An official groundbreaking is scheduled for April 28 and construction is expected to start in earnest in May, and will continue until the end of 2012. The 375-bed acute-care hospital is scheduled to open in early 2013. “This is the largest investment in health care in the history of Niagara and will certainly have a profound and long-lasting impact on the advancement of medical care for the people of Niagara,” Niagara Health System CEO Debbie Sevenpifer said at a news conference Tuesday morning in St. Catharines. Plenary originally had the backing of Deutsche Bank. Maracso said the way things used to work was an institution like Deutsche Bank would cut Plenary a cheque and a project would start. But when the markets tanked in the fall, everything changed and it took a long time to bring together financial partners to make the new hospital a reality. “We’re happy for the NHS. The NHS is happy for us,” he said. “This has been a long time coming.” The projected cost of design, construction and maintenance of the hospital for the next 30 years is $759 million, well beyond the original projections five years ago. When the hospital project first began in 2003, it was expected to cost about $305 million. But Vas Georgiou, spokesman for Infrastructure Ontario, said much has changed in five years. First, construction costs have inflated by more than 50 per cent over time, naturally growing the price of the project. Moreover, significant changes to the initial design to include more infectious disease control measures — including more single-occupancy rooms and handwash sinks — and the addition of 250,000 more square feet for the entire project, drastically changed the price. “You’d be amazed how long you can spend just talking about sinks,” said Gloria Kain, the Niagara Health System’s chief planning and development officer. The NHS has to pay back the money fronted by Plenary over 30 years. Georgiou said if those payments are taken into account along with other costs, the new hospital will cost $1.56 billion. Although the costs have risen, Sevenpifer said the money local residents will contribute — about $117 million — has not increased. “The percentage of the cost the provincial government is taking on has changed,” Sevenpifer said. “When we started, it was around 63 per cent. Now it is closer to 90 per cent.” St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley said that last year the provincial government determined that the costs of hospital projects would be too much for local communities to bear, and so it changed regulations to increase government funding. “The hospital is publicly owned and publicly accountable,” he said. “What has changed is the financing of it. But the benefit of this model is that if anything goes wrong, if there are delays or some other kind of issue that arises, that is the responsibility of the company, not the taxpayer.” With these costs comes major economic spinoff. Georgiou said construction alone will employ 1,000 each day at the hospital site. A projected 5,400 jobs will be created or sustained through the construction period. Georgiou said these include suppliers and other services that support the building site.

Files from the St. Catharines Standard

GO BUSES NIAGARA - BOUND

2009-04-10T15:16:00.003-06:00

FUTURE GROWTH OF NIAGARA...
JUST A BUS RIDE AWAY?

A big green GO Transit bus disgorged a bevy of giddy politicians in downtown St. Catharines Sunday afternoon, who gleefully announced the provincial commuter system will start offering regular bus service to Niagara this September. St. Catharines MP Rick Dykstra and St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley announced $2.5 million in federal and provincial infrastructure funding to build four new park-and-ride GO stations in Niagara. Construction of the first station - at Casablanca Boulevard and the QEW in Grimsby - will start in June, with service to St. Catharines and possibly two locations in Niagara Falls by September, said Peter Smith, GO Transit's chairman. The locations of the new GO stations in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls still have to be determined, said Bradley, the provincial transportation minister, but GO always wants its stations to be close to a major highway, so they will be somewhere along the QEW corridor. Regional Chairman Peter Partington predicted the new GO service will push Niagara's municipalities to finally establish an intermunicipal transit system. Niagara's GO service will start with nine trips in each direction each weekday, Bradley said, and will connect with the GO Train station in Burlington. Most of the trips will be during the morning and evening commuter rush hours, Smith said, while the question of weekend service "is not yet worked out." Niagara Falls Mayor Ted Salci could not be reached for comment Sunday night, but in his state of the city address earlier this year he stressed the need for a stronger transportation link between Toronto and Niagara. Discussions were taking place with GO Transit and he was optimistic and expressed confidence from the provincial government that this partnership would be solidified soon. "We look forward to the coming date when we can promote an easy travel link to and from Toronto," he said. Smith also could not say how much a trip from Niagara to Toronto will cost, although GO Transit's online trip calculator shows a one-way adult ticket from Burlington to Toronto's Union Station costs $8.05, while a trip from Oshawa to Union Station is $8. Monthly passes or books of 10 tickets are cheaper. Dykstra opened his wallet and took out the GO ticket he bought in 2005 and has been saving for his first ride from St. Catharines, saying he's looking forward to finally using it."There are lots of folks in this community who believed this would never happen," Dykstra said. The new commuter service will help to reduce traffic jams on the QEW, bolster the Niagara economy and boost tourism, Bradley said. "It will create jobs and enhance quality of life," he said. "A bus like this takes about 50 vehicles off the road," said Smith, pointing behind him to the gleaming bus with a scrolling destination sign that read: GO service coming to Niagara Region. Several of the speakers at Sunday's announcement predicted that GO bus service is just a start and GO Train service will eventually come to Niagara. "The rule of thumb is after bus service is introduced, it takes six years for train service," Partington said. McMullan also said he believes GO Train service to Niagara is inevitable. "This is just the start. There will be a train," St Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan said. Private bus companies are already offering daily commuter service to Toronto, acknowledged Dykstra, but the more options there are for people to use mass transit, the more it will grow. "The more buses we have travelling to Niagara, the more we are making people aware," Dykstra said. Sunday's funding announcement will pay for four GO stations. The cost of operating the service to Niagara will be about $3.5 million a year, said Smith, with $2 million covered by fares and the remainder funded by the provincial government. It's too soon to say how many riders will use the service, Bradley said, "but there is not a huge demand at this present time. This will increase awareness." All the politicians who spoke Sunday congratulated each other and said the announcement would never have happened without co-operation between levels of government. "This is a great example of partnership in action," Partington said, "and shows what can happen when we in Niagara speak with one voice."

Files from the Niagara Falls Review

FORT ERIE RACETRACK... 9 LIVES?

2009-03-15T18:20:00.006-06:00

Fort Erie
Now in the Horseracing Business

The thunderous sound of galloping horses will once again echo through the grandstands at the Fort Erie Race Track. A deal has been struck between the Fort Erie Economic Development and Tourism Corporation and race track owner Nordic Gaming Corp. that will allow the 112th season of live, thoroughbred racing to get underway in early May. The agreement -which includes a "letter of intent" to purchase the race track for $35 million -ends months of worrying the track was set to close permanently at the end of March. Under the agreement finalized late Wednesday, the racing season will run 78 days from May through October. Threat of closure has been hanging over the historic border oval -the town's largest employer and one of only two thoroughbred race tracks in Ontario -for several years. Fears intensified in December when Nordic Gaming began issuing layoff notices to a majority of its 300 employees, saying the company was no longer willing to operate the facility at a loss. In January, the EDTC, an agency of the Town of Fort Erie, submitted an offer to purchase the racetrack in hopes of setting it up as a not-for-profit corporation, with financial backing from the provincial government.

Written by JOHN ROBBINS , NIAGARA FALLS REVIEW

PORT PLACE TOWER APPROVED

2009-03-01T12:32:00.011-06:00

OMB APPROVES TOWER PROJECT

17 STORY TOWER TIMELINE

July 2001-- St. Catharines city council creates the Port Dalhousie heritage district, which is ratified by the Ontario Municipal Board in December 2003.

September 2003 -- Port Dalhousie Vitalization Corp., a new company formed by Dan Raseta, Ralph Terrio and Eric Moog, announces its acquisition of key land holdings in Port Dalhousie's commercial core from developers such as Nino Donatelli and Patrick Little. PDVC says it intends to redevelop.

April 2004 -- World-renowned architect Jack Diamond unveils a proposal for an 80-unit, 20-storey condominium tower, in addition to a hotel, theatre and shopping complex and a new glass enclosure for the city-owned carousel in Lakeside Park.

June 2004 -- Citizens group PROUD (Port Realizing Our Unique Distinction) announces its opposition to the development because of the project's failure to maintain the 19th-century canal village streetscape, and its violation of the city's zoning and heritage guidelines.

December 2004 -- Niagara Citizens for Smart Development is formed in support of the proposal, arguing for the many economic benefits it will provide.

October 2005 -- On the eve of the release of the City of

St. Catharines planning report on the proposal, PDVC withdraws its development application and requests the city planning report be sealed. City council agrees to keep the report secret.

November 2005 -- Mayor Tim Rigby forms an "action committee" of about 20 unidentified individuals with the intention of persuading PDVC to submit another proposal.

February 2006 -- PDVC submits a second proposal, this one by architect Michael Kirkland. It has the same components as the first application, except the 80 condo units are now in a 17-storey tower.

June 2006 -- Seven-day public meeting is held to consider the second proposal. St. Catharines councillors approve it by a 7-5 vote.

October 2006 -- Niagara regional council also votes to approve the application. Decisions of both St. Catharines and Niagara Region councils are appealed by numerous groups and individuals to the Ontario Municipal Board

November 2006 -- Municipal election sees half of city council replaced by new councillors. New Mayor Brian McMullan campaigned as being opposed to the tower.

February 2007 -- OMB mediation between PDVC, the city, and PROUD is unable to reach a compromise.

March 2007 -- City council withdraws its support for the development.

October 2007 -- City council rejects PDVC's heritage permit application.

November 2007 -- City council rejects PDVC's site plan application. An OMB pre-hearing is held, which sets the timeline and agenda for the full hearing, scheduled for 15 weeks.

Feb. 20, 2008 -- OMB hearings begin at City Hall.

June 2008 -- Hearing breaks for four months

Oct. 8, 2008 -- Hearing resumes with conservation architect Herb Stovel testifying for PROUD.

Oct. 27, 2008 -- Evidence wraps up.

Nov. 10, 2008 -- Final arguments begin.

Nov. 19, 2008 -- After 71 days of hearings held over the course of 21 weeks, the hearing ends.

Feb. 27, 2009 -- OMB decision comes down, approving the Port tower.

Files from the: ST. CATHARINES STANDARD

Port Dalhousie Vitalization Corp.

NEW CONVENTION CENTER

2008-12-19T10:08:00.007-06:00

BELLAGIO NIAGARA

2008-08-22T17:21:00.004-06:00

THE BELLAGIO NIAGARA CONDO RESIDENCES

I have been meaning to take pictures of this since the shovels hit the ground last year, but better late then never. Here is a new 5 story condominium building on Mcleod Road offering 2 and 3 bedrooms, as well as penthouse condos.

NEW DAVE & BUSTER'S

2008-08-22T17:13:00.005-06:00

FUTURE DAVE & BUSTERS FRANCHISE

This will be a nice addition to Clifton Hill! The new Dave & Buster's will be a 9100 sq foot restaurant with seating for 250.

DEMOLITION OF FALLS MIST MOTEL

2008-08-02T17:13:00.006-06:00

NEW TIMMIES?

This motel has seen better days, and hopefully this will make way for more development in this high traffic location along Murray and Stanley Avenue.

Google Earth: Falls Mist Motel

AFTER HOURS NIGHTCLUB

2008-07-31T18:36:00.009-06:00

CLUB SE7EN

Shining through the world famous Niagara Falls landscape, Club Se7en is a luxurious, upscale haven catering to a sophisticated clientele who appreciate great atmosphere, beautiful people, and a unique nightlife experience.

VENUE - Showcasing a brick and beam loft style space housed in a warehouse dating back to the 1920's, Club Se7en brings a raw, industrial, New York feel to Niagara Falls. Boasting spacious 20ft high ceilings surrounded by authentic exposed brick and huge, picturesque windows, the ambiance is posh, and inviting.

VIP - Situated within the stunning venue and along the brilliant windows are an array of VIP booths for you and your guests to enjoy your evening in comfort and style. Whether you want to dance the night away or shmooze in our ultra-exclusive VIP booths, Club Se7en provides you with an unforgettable experience.

Terrace - Club Se7en is the first of it's kind in Niagara Falls to have a fully licensed terrace. This beautiful outdoor area is ideal for sipping and shmoozing under the stars.

WHAT THE "HILTON" WILL LOOK LIKE!

2008-03-02T17:59:00.006-06:00

TALL & SLENDER "COMING 2010"

This building which was designed and is located @ STANFORD DOWNEY architects inc. will cast quite the shadow when finished. One obvious distinction in the above image is the shadow being cast by a building beside the Skylon Tower which does not exist?

Could it be this yet to be proposed tower....?

NEW FOUR PAD ARENA

2007-11-01T18:48:00.001-06:00

EXCAVATION UNDERWAY

I noticed a sign up at the site yesterday not realizing that it had just been unveiled. On November 15th they will be holding an open house at the MacBain Centre, I will post pictures then.

GROUND BEING PREPARED

Nicholas Blanchfield started playing recreational minor hockey this year. The five-year-old loves the game, but finds it hard to play in the city's old arenas, which are filled with mould that makes it tough for him to breathe. All that will change come 2009, when the new four-pad on Fourth Avenue, near Stanley Avenue and Thorold Stone Road, opens its doors. Dressed in a Spider-Man costume, Blanchfield held up a sign proclaiming: "Spider-Man is flying high for the new arena." He and his mother, Johnna, were two of about 20 people on hand Wednesday as officials unveiled a sign at the site of the development, which will render Niagara Falls Memorial and Jack Bell arenas to the annals of the city's history. With excavators preparing the ground for an early 2008 sod turning and winds whipping the tarp covering the sign, Mayor Ted Salci declared the four-pad project officially underway. "This is certainly the beginning of what is certain to be an exciting construction project," Salci said. "This dream, many years in the making, is going to be a reality for the citizens of Niagara Falls." In May, council approved the 196,000-square-foot, $34.5-million arena that will include one 2,000-seat National Hockey League-sized rink and three 250-seat ice surfaces. Most of the money will be borrowed, said Denyse Morrissey, director of the city's department of parks, culture and recreation. The rest will come from the sale of Jack Bell and Memorial arenas, from cost savings for a more energy-efficient building and from a capital fundraising campaign. The capital campaign kicks off this month, but its main event - dubbed "The Great Seat Sale" - is already underway. People can buy a stadium seat for $200, VIP seats for $500 or "In the Pink" seats for $250. Donors' names will be etched on the back of each seat, and $50 from the sale of the 433 pink seats will be donated to Greater Niagara General Hospital for cancer-related care. "I'm getting a seat for my mom because she's a breast cancer survivor," said Johnna Blanchfield. Morrissey said once the arena opens, it will become an important part of the community, much the way the MacBain Community Centre has since it opened in 2005.

Files from the Niagara Falls Review

CASINO NIAGARA TO STAY?

2007-09-15T18:59:00.003-06:00

~ CASINO'S FUTURE SECURED ~

Casino Niagara is here to stay. The Ontario government reached a long-term arrangement with owners of the casino's current location Friday and will make it official within days, Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor said Friday afternoon."By some time next week there will be a formal announcement," Craitor said after a closed-door meeting held at city hall Friday afternoon among Ontario Lottery and Gaming representatives, city officials and business owners from the Clifton Hill area. "Everything seems to have fallen in place."OLG's lease with Canadian Niagara Hotels expires in March 2010. There's an option for a five-year renewal. It has to be exercised by March 2008. City council, the Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce and tourism operators have pushed for months to have the province exercise that option sooner, rather than later. They've also lobbied to extend the term from five years to something longer than five years. The agreement reached Friday means the province won't wait until next spring to extend the lease. "We actually expedited the process. To make the community feel at ease ... to make the region feel at ease, we expedited the process," Craitor said. He wouldn't disclose how long a term had been negotiated, saying only it was longer than the five-year extension that would have secured Casino Niagara as a tenant at the old Maple Leaf Village site until 2015. A 10-year agreement beyond the existing 2010 expiration would ensure the casino's presence until 2020. Craitor's rivals in the Oct. 10 election called the timing "suspect," suggesting the Liberals were trying to use the deal to score points during a campaign. "I'm delighted any time they want to reaffirm our position of keeping both casinos open permanently," said Conservative candidate Bart Maves. When his party was in power in 2003, then-premier Ernie Eves announced Casino Niagara would remain open. It was meant to be a temporary operation from 1996 until the permanent Fallsview casino could open. New Democrat Mike Piche agreed about the timing. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that all out. It's kind of suspect," Piche said. But Piche welcomed the news because it should add some stability to the local economy. "It gives people in Niagara, especially the workers in these places, the knowledge they'll be working for the next number of years," Piche said. Reaching a deal during an election campaign is "just a coincidence," said Craitor, a Liberal MPP running for re-election. But he will ask Premier Dalton McGuinty to formally make the announcement next week, he added. Mayor Ted Salci agreed it was an "opportune time" for the Liberals to reach a deal, but said the pressure has been on the government for two years. "We were pressing the government to come to terms with the landlord. They have had fruitful discussions," Salci said. There have been dozens of meetings over the past two years involving city hall's so-called "two-casino initiative," a committee of tourism operators, and city and regional officials who promoted the importance of having two casinos. The lease agreement - once it's formalized - should remove the uncertainty that has troubled the business community in Niagara Falls. In mid-August, Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce president Carolyn Bones wrote to McGuinty. "In our view, both casinos in Niagara Falls are significant to the attraction of visitors. The casinos are an integral part of continued tourism development in Niagara Falls and Niagara as a whole," Bones wrote. The chamber was reacting to persistent rumours either OLG or Falls Management Co., the company hired to run the casinos, want to close Casino Niagara. I certainly have heard the rumours and speculation around town," Bones said. Despite local concerns, the official word from Queen's Park - from politicians of all stripes - is that none of the political parties is considering closing the casino. McGuinty, Conservative Leader John Tory and NDP house leader Peter Kormos have all told The Review recently their parties don't have plans to close Casino Niagara. "The McGuinty government has never talked about closing Casino Niagara," a spokeswoman in the premier's office said in mid-August. On Aug. 14, Tory said, "There's no one I've heard of, including me, that has any plans to close any casinos." Kormos, the MPP for Niagara Centre, said his party isn't interested in closing Casino Niagara or any other, either. Those jobs have become increasingly important jobs to the Niagara area, Windsor and Orillia area," Kormos said. Businesses around the casino have wanted the government's commitment to give them the stability they need for long-term planning. "The issue is they're all saying yes, yes, yes, but nobody's taking any action to make the commitment and take the action," said Canadian Niagara Hotels vice-president Dino DiCienzo Jr., said in a recent interview. DiCienzo also sits on the city's two-casinos committee. "A long-term commitment is important, so the business can move with a long-term business plan and commitment to the staff," he said.

Files from the Niagara Falls Review

IF THEY BUILD IT, WILL THEY COME?

2007-09-11T20:26:00.000-06:00

COUNCIL APPROVES 30 STORY HOTEL

Hoteliers Victor and Carmen Menechella will be allowed to build one of the Fallsview area's densest hotels despite the objections of the city's planning department and its next-door neighbour. "As it sits here, I think it's not a bad idea. It's a smart idea and it fits nicely," Coun. Jim Diodati said moments before councillors voted 5-2 Monday to give the Menechellas the green light to build a new Hampton Inn at 6505 Fallsview Blvd. They also own the nearby Embassy Suites hotel. City council gave them the green light to build a 30-storey, 383-room hotel, north of Dixon Street on a site that's less than a half-acre. Previous zoning would have allowed only a four-storey structure. City planner Doug Darbyson told council the proposal was more dense than any other hotel in the city, did not have adequate setbacks from the road and would create wind conditions that would be "uncomfortable" for pedestrians in the area. "The proposal significantly exceeds the density of other developments in the tourist area and represents an overdevelopment of the site," Darbyson's report to council states. At a density of 910 rooms per acre, the Hampton would be more dense than the Embassy Suites, which has 400 rooms an acre, Darbyson said. "We have not really seen density of this magnitude in our city on such small pieces of land," he said. The hotel is expected to create 2,000 construction jobs, 500 permanent hotel jobs and "impressive perpetual tax revenue" for the city, said Italia Gilberti, the lawyer for the Menechellas. She reminded council its development guidelines are only guidelines. Because of the size of the property - a portion of a triangular area bordered by Fallsview Boulevard, Dixon Street and Main Street - it would be difficult to build anything on it that adheres to city guidelines. "This is exactly where this type of development should be built and is needed," Gilberti said. The Hampton Inn would represent an investment of between $50 million and $100 million, Gilberti said. The Menechellas are ready to build immediately and construction could take a year and a half, she added. "This one's extremely expensive," she said after the meeting, adding the franchise sets high standards for its hotels. "The location calls for something special." Approving the hotel project went against the city's development guidelines for the tourist area, said Coun. Janice Wing, one of two votes against the project. "This could set an undesirable precedent for future developments," Wing said. Peter Pickfield, a lawyer for Helias Enterprises said the Hampton project threatened the viability of a project his clients were planning to the south. "It doesn't comply with the rules of the game, here," he said. "There needs to be something done to integrate these two developments." Pickfield could not convince council to turn it down or at least to wait for six weeks while Helias Enterprises studied the impact of the Hampton. "This is really cramming a building in to get the maximum number of hotel units in and using not good planning to do it," Pickfield said.

FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

2007-09-05T21:01:00.001-06:00

~ OTTAWA COMES THROUGH ~

Ottawa's in. The federal government will contribute one-third of the $100-million cost to build the Niagara Convention and Civic Centre, Niagara Falls MP Rob Nicholson announced Wednesday."There is no doubt in my mind this will help strengthen the economy of this area," Nicholson said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. "This is that other piece of the puzzle we want to have ... We need to have a facility that can handle large conventions."We are a perfect fit." A group of local businesses, the provincial and federal governments have now agreed to contribute $35 million each to build a convention centre near the southwest corner of Stanley Avenue and Dunn Street.Now that funding sources are finalized, the project can move ahead, said Dragan Matovic, a golf course owner who is also the co-ordinator of the convention centre project. Construction could begin within a year and the convention centre could open as early as 2010, he said.The strength of the business plan Matovic's group presented is one of the reasons the project got the federal government's approval, Nicholson said."It's no secret every member of Parliament in the country wants $35 million in investment in their constituency. Niagara Falls is the perfect place to put this," he said. Mayor Ted Salci called Nicholson's announcement "truly spectacular news" because a convention centre will increase year-round tourism and create more jobs. Salci said he will ask council to create a committee to look at ways to make sure construction overruns or annual operating deficits don't become a burden on the public. Because it's being built with cash, the building won't have a debt. That's important to taxpayers because the city will own the building after construction and lease it back to Matovic's group to manage. When the partners hire a builder, they will insist the centre be built for a price specified before construction. That would make the builder responsible for overruns, Matovic said. Also, the private-sector partners have created a $15-million fund they will draw on to offset any deficits in the first five years of operation, Matovic said. Ottawa's cash will come from the existing Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, a federal program used to fund large infrastructure projects the government believes will encourage economic growth and support environmental sustainability. Tourism operators look forward to something to encourage more people to visit. "Certainly, everybody I've spoken to says we need to diversify our mix of tourists," Matovic said. Conventions are typically held in the September-to-May period - the off-season for traditional tourism. There's a lot of convention business to be had, but Niagara Falls has not been able to tap the market because there isn't a place big enough to hold a convention of 2,000 or more people, Matovic said. "We're just touching the tip of the iceberg out there," he said. Nicholson's formal announcement came after months of speculation Ottawa would match the funding Ontario finance minister Greg Sorbara included in the provincial budget in March. A group of two dozen business people and politicians at the Sheraton Fallsview hotel stood and applauded after Nicholson confirmed the funding, a courtesy chamber of commerce members gave Liberal MPP Kim Craitor at a breakfast meeting the day after Sorbara's provincial budget. Craitor congratulated the federal government for joining in. "It puts the community at ease. The final piece of the puzzle has been finalized," he said. For years, civic and business leaders have referred to a convention centre as the "missing piece of the puzzle" to encourage off-season tourism. "There's always a period when things come together. The timing is right, now," said Coun. Wayne Thomson, who championed the convention centre concept when he was mayor before 2003. But the "puzzle" might never be completed. There are other pieces to come, Thomson said. "We only have one more thing to make it a first-class, world-class destination and that's the people mover," the long-awaited mass-transit system that would alleviate congestion in the crowded tourism areas. Files from the Niagara Falls Review

FALLSVIEW PLAZA HOTEL PROPOSAL

2007-09-01T20:11:00.000-06:00

UPDATE: As mentioned by Drafty in the comments section of this post, it was recommended that staff turn down this proposal due to various reasons. However not unanimous, it was passed and did receive approval in the city chambers tonight by council. If anyone would like further information on the meeting I would be happy to add more comments!

~ LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION ~

It has been brought up and discussed by Dan and Drafty about this proposed hotel which again I have meant to mention since I first noticed the public notice board up. "An application to permit the development of a 30 storey, 383 room hotel (without meeting rooms) and with a majority of the required parking off-site on the existing parking lot at 5896-6046 Dunn Street." This one was rather exciting when I saw it, because last year I was playing ball hockey with some friends and one of the guys was talking about a proposed 20 story hotel going up in this location, which is apparently owned by the same owners as Embassy Suites. I had mentioned it here at SkyScrapercity and here at Skyscraperpage. This above image shows the East and North elevation and will stand at over 108 metres which is about the height of the existing Hilton Hotel, this will really fill in this section of Fallsview.

MARRIOTT COURTYARD "UPDATE"

2007-09-01T19:57:00.001-06:00

UPDATE: Received city council's approval tonight and will move on to the review board for final adjustments.

~ PUBLIC NOTICE ~

It has been put up for quite awhile now but better late then never! As mentioned by Drafty in an earlier comment there is a Public Notice up at the Marriott Courtyard which more or less reads... "5950 Victoria Avenue and 5956 Clark Street An application to include the lands known as 5956 Clark Street in a 30 storey hotel complex proposed to be developed on 5950 Victoria Avenue." The bottom image shows the footprint of the proposed hotel.

A "GREAT" WOLF BILLBOARD

2007-08-18T08:16:00.001-06:00

~ SOAK YOURSELF AT THE LODGE ~

Just before you get to the Great Wolf Lodge on Victoria Avenue you will see this new billboard on the right. It has a screen to tell you how many rooms are left or any promotions going on, it's not unique to the marketing world but it does stand out as you arrive.

KEEPING OUT THE RIFF RAFF?

2007-08-18T08:01:00.001-06:00

~ THE CROWNE PLAZA / WHITE ELEPHANT ~

With so many intruders and skateboarders and fires wreaking havoc on the local Fire Department with this eyesore, the owners were forced last month to start boarding up any possible entry points to the defunct Crowne Plaza Hotel. I only hope that they can secure funding for their future plans of turning this into a Condominium Tower.

"DOWN SHE BLOWS"

2007-08-14T20:53:00.000-06:00

~ MAKING ROOM FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT ~

It was announced last December that The Bay would be closing it's doors for good and that new developments would take over the space. Yesterday the demolition of the building commenced for future tenants Michael's, Mandarin Buffet and JYSK. Also in this video you can see the land beside the Cineplex Odeon is where the new Canadian Tire will be built coming this Fall or early Spring 2008.

"THE FALLS MOVIE ~ IN IMAX"

2007-08-13T19:58:00.000-06:00

~ THE POWER AND THE STORY ~

It has been strongly advertised throughout the city that 14 million people have been wowed by, The Niagara Falls Movie: “Niagara: Miracles, Myths and Magic.” They have also dressed up the Imax theatre with as you can see by the video above, a semi transparent screening with images of scenes from the movie. It was originally installed 2 months ago but was quickly taken down and replaced with a darker easier to see version. Also in this video you can see the new front entrance sign. This tourist attraction should win an award for most advertised establishment this year, easily beating out Cirque Niagara who I thought had the most last year!

FREEFALL UPDATE

2007-08-08T21:34:00.000-06:00

NIAGARA FREEFALL and INTERACTIVE CENTRE

Niagara's soon to be newest attraction will let you experience the thrill of skydiving indoors in Canada's first FreeFall Simulator. This exciting new thrill attraction gives you a "pure feeling of flying," in a safe, supervised, enclosed environment. Inside the simulator, up to 5 people can enjoy the sensation of freefall flying in a smooth vertical air column, at air speeds over 120 miles per hour! Freefall flying is fun, educational and something people of all ages would like to do at least once.

PUBLIC HEARING

2007-08-03T20:40:00.000-06:00

~ FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ~

In March there was a Public Hearing posted at the Marriott Courtyard which read, " A variance to the footprint of the proposed hotel at the southwest corner and the height of the proposed roof feature." This new Public Hearing is posted in the same location.