Officials from the Town of Fort Erie are distancing themselves from a controversial decision about the future of slots at the Fort Erie Racetrack.
In a release, Communications Advisor Melissa Marshall tells CKTB that a recent story in the Fort Erie Post inaccurately ties the town to the deal declining slot machines at the track.
Marshall states "the Town of Fort Erie had no part in the decision" and says it was made entirely by the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium without the knowledge of the mayor, council, or town staff.
CAO Tom Kuchyt has also taken to social media to voice his displeasure after he says despite the fact the sits on the FELRC Board, he was not made aware of an emergency meeting where the decision was made. "...an emergency Board meeting was held on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. and that the FELRC did not invite me or share meeting correspondence because they felt I had a conflict.
I find it interesting that they, the Board Chair and/or Board, made the decision that I would have a conflict and therefore not be invited to the emergency meeting. Declaring a conflict is my decision to make at the time of the meeting, not theirs."
A statement from the Minister of Finance says the Fort Erie Race Track elected to receive additional financial support and "declined to accept slots."
The deal was negotiated between Ontario Lottery and Gaming and the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium which operates the horse racing business.