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Casinos Good Bet for Both Sides of Niagara Falls

NIAGARA FALLS, New York – As reported by the Tonawanda News: "The twin cities of Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Ontario rolled safe economic bets when respective governments authorized casino gambling. New York needed a bigger revenue booster shot than Ontario. Since the 1960s, population of the former dwindled by half down to 50,000, while the latter picked up 25 percent to reach nearly 80,000.

"Much of that population decrease can be attributed to a serious region-drop in manufacturing jobs over the years. During recent years, the region has switched from an industry base to a tourism one.

"…Seneca Gaming Authority in two years has infused the Niagara Falls, N.Y., workplace with 2,200 jobs, according to administrative assistant Gloria J. Nowakowski. Another 1,000 employees will come on the payroll when the hotel opens its first 10 of 26 floors Dec. 31. An as-yet further number will be hired on once the project is completed in March 2006.

"Although the Indian nation does not pay taxes, it contributes through a unique payment arrangement to city coffers — more than $9 million U.S. last year, said Nowakowski.

"…Canadian casinos also have unprecedented agreements with government, in Niagara Falls through the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., a company functioning as a provincial agency. The city last year received $2.6 million CA, less than one-third its New York counterpart due to the lion's revenue share remaining with the province.

"…The transition from heavy industry to tourism started earlier in Niagara Falls, Ontario, with a region-wide commitment to change. The city always had been more traveler-oriented than manufacturing based, but in the mid-1980s, about a decade after the formation of regional government, Niagara Falls was joined in promotional thrusts by 11 other cities and towns, including Niagara-on-the-Lake, the internationally-acclaimed heritage town that's home to the Shaw Festival, considered among the western world's 10 top repertory theater companies…"

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