Woodbine unveils massive expansion project
torontosun.com
BY JOE WARMINGTON
April 25, 2017
It’s “unlocking” underutilized land and some big dreams, too.
There’s nothing wrong with thinking big - and that’s exactly what they are doing out at Woodbine.
A “city within a city” is what the Woodbine Entertainment Group is calling its future “urban heart of northwest Toronto” project.
“It’s such an exciting project that is good for the northwest and good for the whole city,” said Etobicoke North (Ward 2) Councillor Michael Ford. “It’s incredible. It will bring new life and jobs, but will be great for the environment, too. It’s a win-win.”
An “expanded gaming district complete with integrated entertainment, hospitality and related amenities” is going to grace the “privately-owned, 684-acre” jewel in Rexdale.
“With over 2,000 thoroughbred horses stabled on site, approximately 200 acres will continue be devoted to horse-racing operations at the centre of this unique development,” says CEO Jim Lawson, “The master plan sets out a detailed road map that will create thousands of new local jobs in the community, introduce new fans to the sport of horse racing and be a transformative project for the City of Toronto in the years to come.”
Woodbine says the plan is “to be the ultimate destination for horse racing and gaming, while integrating new expanded entertainment and cultural offerings, food and dining, hotel, shopping, office space, post-secondary education, recreation, health, wellness, and urban residential living,”
It’s just the kind of project Toronto needs right now - just as important as new bike lanes, homeless shelters and methadone clinics.
It’s a smart idea to take a big parcel of land and find different uses for it to help make the city better.
Big thinking.
THE MASTER PLAN
Woodbine Entertainment Group unveiled its “master plan” for development of the Woodbine Racetrack lands in Rexdale.
Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) vows the privately-owned, 684-acre site will be transformed in the coming years into “a city within a city” that will become the “urban heart” of northwest Toronto.
Plans call for the creation of restaurants, a hotel, retail and office space, post-secondary classrooms, residential development, horse racing and gaming:
- WEG’s massive site is larger than Toronto’s downtown business district
- Proponents say Woodbine will remain the ultimate destination for horse racing and gaming while integrating expanded entertainment and cultural offerings
- By unlocking the value of the undeveloped land and relying on long-term revenues, Woodbine will sustain its horse racing operations and thousands of horse industry jobs in rural Ontario
- The project will generate jobs for thousands of local residents
- The first phase of development will include an expanded gaming district complete with integrated entertainment, hospitality and related amenities
- The first phase will attract up to 15 million people annually to the location - more than double the current number of visitors
- The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. is now seeking a private-sector service provider to operate the slots at Woodbine. OLG expects to name that operator this summer.
