IN THE MATTER OF THE RACING COMMISSION ACT, S.O. 2000, c. 20;
AND IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION FOR TELETHEATRES
BY FORT ERIE RACETRACK
ADDENDUM
On April 10, 2001, Chair Stanley Sadinsky Q.C., Vice-Chair Herbert Bryant and Commissioners Diane Carlton, Tom Deacon, Bruce Duncan and Ernest Nock convened to hear teletheatre licence applications from Fort Erie Racetrack for locations in Welland, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Grimsby, Ontario.
General Manager Eddie Lynn represented Fort Erie Racetrack. Chairman Charles Juravinski and President and CEO Richard Jacob represented Flamboro Downs Raceway. Legal Counsel Mike Sherrard represented the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Chief Operating Officer Reed Lawson appeared for the Ontario Harness Horse Association. Manager, Information Services Wendy Hoogeveen and Legal Counsel Joanne Mitchell appeared on behalf of the Administration of the Ontario Racing Commission.
Domenic Aiello appeared in support of the Welland application, Duane Smith appeared in support of the Niagara Falls application, Roger Jarry appeared in support of the Grimsby application and Bruno Carusetta appeared in opposition to the Welland application.
While three of the four applications were dealt with at the time, the application for a licence to operate a teletheatre at 444-446 Scott Street in St. Catharines, Ontario was deferred until May 3, 2001, pending the receipt of input from the Ontario Harness Horse Association and further documentation from the applicant regarding the location.
Having received correspondence from the Ontario Harness Horse Association, the Ontario Racing Commission approved the St. Catharines teletheatre application and ruled that upon completion of the file to the satisfaction of the Administration, a license would be issued to Fort Erie for this location.
DATED this 14th day of May, 2001.
BY ORDER OF THE COMMISSION
Jean Major Executive Director
ADDENDUM TO THE REASONS FOR DECISION DATED APRIL 17, 2001
444-446 Scott Street – St. Catharines
In our Decision dated April 17, this application was deferred pending the receipt of the position of OHHA and clarification as to who the proprietor of the proposed location would be. We have now been advised that OHHA does not support the position of Fort Erie for this site. No reasons were given for its position.
Flamboro Downs currently operates a teletheatre in St. Catharines at 106 Lakeport Road. Neither Fort Erie nor Flamboro Downs provided us with a market study of the St. Catharines area so we must proceed on the basis of the information that we have. St. Catharines has a population of approximately 130,000 persons. We are not satisfied that this area cannot support two teletheatres given the size of its population base. Accordingly, once Fort Erie provides us with information as to the proposed proprietor of the teletheatre and the Administration of the ORC is satisfied that the application is complete in all respects, a teletheatre license will issue to Fort Erie for this site.
DATED this 14th day of May, 2001.
Stanley Sadinsky, Chair