Vaughan councillors have voted 5-4 to kill the idea of a casino in their city, turning around a 5-4 vote in favour of pursuing one back in May.

The swing vote was cast by deputy mayor Gino Rosati, who told residents minutes before his motion to kill the plan passed that he’d learned since May “that the vast majority of you do not want a casino in the city of Vaughan.”

The move by Vaughan council, which will have to give final approval to killing the casino at the upcoming council meeting, means the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. is without a willing partner in the GTA.

Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua tried to appear impartial, after almost two dozen members of the public addressed council at Tuesday’s committee-of-the-whole meeting, most against the casino.

“You’ve got to hear both sides of the issue,” the mayor told residents before the vote, stating he would not support Rosati’s motion because the city needed to do some work to determine if a casino would be beneficial.

But he might have shown his cards after one resident addressed council, quoting from a number of studies that have shown poor economic returns from casinos, while connecting gambling with addiction and other social costs.

“What about off-site betting? Is that gambling?” Bevilacqua asked her, suggesting gambling is commonplace.

“We’re not talking about off-site betting,” she fired back, “we’re talking about a casino.”

“Very brilliant,” Bevilacqua replied.

Vaughan councillors who helped kill the casino Tuesday questioned if the OLG’s revenue projections could be believed and pointed out that Toronto and Markham have already voted against hosting a casino.

Councillor Sandra Yeung Racco said that despite Bevilacqua’s support for a casino and “one-sided reports by staff, unsupported by independent research,” Vaughan should not become “another Atlantic City.”

Tuesday’s vote means Mississauga and Richmond Hill are the only two locations remaining on OLG’s list of potential partners. Mississauga councillors have stated they have little interest in the idea.

Bevilacqua envisioned a $1.2-billion project, with the casino folded into a much larger entertainment complex.

But the plan is all but dead now.

Councillors questioned why the mayor didn’t move months ago to strike a citizen-led task force, which is what he tried to do in response to Rosati’s motion Tuesday.

“Because we didn’t have the foresight to do this properly, we don’t deserve to do it at all,” said Councillor Rosanna DeFrancesca. She said the public has been largely shut out of a debate that should have revolved around them.

Councillors against the casino echoed Rosati’s words, saying their constituents overwhelmingly came out against a casino after the May vote to possibly pursue one.

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Rosati said he could not allow the contentious issue to drag on after his constituents took such a clear stance following the May vote.

“Since May 28th, we have all been bombarded.”

“I’m actually relieved,” Rosati told the Star after the vote. “We don’t have to deal with this casino anymore. The public doesn’t have to get any more petitions signed and all their other tiring work. We can go on with the business of the city.”

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