New casino proposed for North Shore or south of the Fraser

The B.C. Lottery Corporation is asking local governmentson the North Shore and south of the Fraser River if they are interested in having a new casino.

But spokeswomanAngela Koulyras says they are not looking forpublic input yet.

"At this point we simply want to get a sense of what the level of interest is among those local governments," she said.

She also says it'stoo early totalk about any specificlocations or size.

"Once we've selected a preferred host local government in those regions, we would work with them to determine the location, the type of the facility and the size of the facility."

Ten per cent of the revenue would be given back to the host local government, said Koulyras.

She notes under the Gaming Control Act, any municipality considering a new casino would need to consult with local residents and adjacent communities.

"It's ultimately their decision to say yes or no at the end of the day."

Millions in revenue forecast

According to a BCLC-commissioned study, a new casino south of the Fraser could bring in $25 millionto $50 million in new gamblingrevenue, while a North Shore casino could bring $25 millionto $40 million, she said.

But the BCLC study did not look at the impact a new facility might have on gambling addiction rates in the communities, or the impact on nearby businesses.

"It's not a health impact assessment," she said.

The following local governments have been contacted about the proposal.

• City of North Vancouver
• District of North Vancouver
• District of West Vancouver
• Squamish Nation
• Tsleil-Waututh Nation
• City of Surrey
• Corporation of Delta
• Tsawwassen First Nation

Three years ago the City of Surrey rejected a proposal for a $100-millioncasino.

In 2013 Vancouver approved plans for a new casino next to BC Place in 2013.

BCLCis also looking at building anew casino in Victoria andSaanich.