MSIFN PANS NEW TORONTO CASINO ANNOUNCEMENT

LAS VEGAS STYLE 'MEGACASINO' EXPECTED TO OPEN AT WOODBINE THIS SUMMER

The province is "acting to disadvantage" the Great Blue Heron Casino with the opening of a new "megacasino" in the Toronto area, says the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

In response to a March 8 announcement that Great Canadian Entertainment would be opening a $1 billion entertainment resort dubbed the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto at Woodbine this summer, the Scugog Island First Nation argued that the province once again ignored negotiated agreements and had "disregard" for the MSIFN.

"The Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation are outraged by the disrespect shown to their First

Nation by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and Great Canadian Entertainment (GCE)," said a March 9 press release.

Great Canadian Entertainment is the operator of many Ontario government casinos, including Casino Woodbine in Toronto and the Great Blue Heron Casino at MSIFN. In 2016, the MSIFN, as the owner of the Great Blue Heron Casino, entered into agreements with the government and OLG as part of Ontario's modernization scheme.

The agreements, in part, where meant to ensure that the Great Blue Heron Casino would be operated in a comparative manner to other government casinos in the GTA and revenue would be provided to

MSIFN to support development and services for the First Nation, said the Scugog Island First Nation statement.

"We entered into our agreements with OLG and the government with a shared understanding that OLG and the government would act in good faith and in accordance with their

Honour of the Crown obligations, and in particular their contractual obligations set out in the agreements," said MSIFN Chief Kelly LaRocca in a press release. "Once again, the government is acting without any engagement with MSIFN and is acting to disadvantage the Great Blue Heron Casino at MSIFN."

Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, to be located at the intersection of Highways 401 and 427, will be located on a 33-acre footprint adjacent to the Woodbine racetrack. According to Great Canadian Entertainment, it will feature a "modern Vegas-style casino," integrated 400-room hotel, 5,000-seat live entertainment venue and multiple on-site dining options.

The existing Casino Woodbine will continue to operate with no interruption until Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto opens.

"We see this as an unprecedented opportunity to introduce an entirely new, world-class experience in Canada that will bring together the best in casino gaming, exceptional live entertainment, dining, and accommodation in one very special place," said Matthew Anfinson, chief executive officer of Great Canadian Entertainment, in a separate press release.

It's upsetting, continued the Scugog Island First Nation chief, that as the MSIFN prepares to mediate in the coming months its disputes with the government over the government's expansion of gaming in the GTA, that the OLG and GCE have instead announced another expansion of GTA gaming.

"We've been engaging with the government, OLG and Great Canadian Entertainment on these issues for years and finally we've reached the point of entering mediation in the coming months," said Chief LaRocca. "Once again, however, the Ford government chooses to implement its decisions and ask questions later. It's utter disregard for our First Nation and the Honour of the Crown."

Mediation between the Ontario government and MSIFN regarding gaming issues is scheduled to commence this summer.