By Paul Schliesmann, Kingston Whig-Standard
KINGSTON – Hey, Kingstonians, it looks like most of you really don’t want a casino after all.
On top of that, you don’t want city council to make the final decision on whether to bring a gaming facility here.
Results of a new poll involving 505 Kingston respondents show 60% being opposed to a casino being built in the city while 78% believe the final decision should be made by referendum, not a vote of council.
The poll by Abacus Data is accurate within 4.5 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
What makes the poll more intriguing is who commissioned it: the Thousand Islands Accommodation Partners, a collection of 11 hotels and businesses in Gananoque and the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, where the current casino is located.
If Kingston were granted a casino, it would mean the 10-year-old Thousand Islands Casino would be shut down.
“Kingston is our neighbour. I don’t think neighbours should be trying to steal businesses,” said John Keilty, owner of the Gananoque Inn and Spa and one of the partners, explaining the commissioning.
