Mayor Malcolm Brodie and the City of Richmond should butt out of Delta’s business.
That’s what an irate Coun. Bruce McDonald had to say at Delta council’s weekly meeting Monday, not mincing words with his response to a letter from Brodie to the B.C. Lottery Corporation conveying Richmond’s opposition to a potential casino in Delta.
“Whether a casino comes to Delta or not, I don’t even know if I’m in favour of that idea, but I have never, in all my years doing this stuff, seen where one community was asking a government agency to not allow a neighbouring community to have access to something,” said McDonald, who was first elected to council in 1987.
“We’ve known for a long time that Mayor Brodie doesn’t believe anything of consequence lives on this side of the river, and we shouldn’t build a bridge, but now you go to the government and say, ‘What’s next? We shouldn’t have a car lot if somebody wants to put one up because Richmond thinks it’s not in their favour?” asked McDonald.
“I am absolutely incensed that they should stay on their side of the river and do what they want and if somebody builds something that’s in competition with them, they should try to win… This is absurd.”
The letter by Brodie to the lottery corporation states that Richmond is opposed “to any casino south of the Fraser River” and that Richmond must be fully consulted and given at least 90 days to respond.
McDonald said Delta should write a letter to Brodie “to tell them to butt out” and the rest of council agreed, although staff will write one with a more diplomatic tone.
McDonald’s colleagues noted Richmond has its own gaming facility in the River Rock Casino Resort and doesn’t want any competition.
Ted Townsend, a spokesperson for the City of Richmond, said Brodie declined to respond to the comments.
