Burlington councillors decided to support the bingo hall they know rather than the newcomer to town.
Councillors were dealing with a pair of duelling requests to open a bingo hall in Burlington, one after a significant shutdown due to the pandemic and loss of their previous venue to redevelopment, the other a new player.
However, the major fly in the ointment is that both operators wanted to open their halls only a few hundred metres apart on Fairview St.
The existing Bingo Connection found a new home at the Polish Hall on Fairview St. and the new operators, Bingo Bingo, which runs five other sites in the province, wanted to move into a location near Fairview and Brant Sts.
During delegations at today’s (May 3) Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee Meeting, both operators agreed Burlington couldn’t sustain two bingo halls, at least not this close together.
The concern is that the extreme competition for players would affect the amount of money into the charities the bingo halls support.
In the end, council chose to approve the application of the established Bingo Connection, citing a desire to support an existing business over a new one, rather than any preference between the two.
They did, however, encourage Bingo Bingo to explore other areas of the city that might benefit and be able to support a bingo hall and reapply for a permit.
The decision still needs to be approved by the provincial Alcohol and Gaming Commission.
