Vancouver Megacasino Plans Bust

A proposal for the largest casino west of Ontario was shot down by Vancouver's city council over concerns it would lead to spikes in crime and gambling addiction.

Vancouver's city council voted unanimously against a $500-million proposal to build the largest casino in Western Canada along the city's waterfront. The prospect of a megacasino has divided the city's residents, some of whom thought a downtown casino would increase crime and gambling addictions, while others – including the B.C. government and several unions – thought the project would bring new jobs and more tourism revenue to the city's coffers. U.S.-based Paragon Gaming Co. has said it would abandon its current casino if it didn't win approval for expansion.