Township nearing $8-million in slots payment
Centre Wellington received $591,444 on July 18 for hosting the slots facility in its municipality at the Grand River Raceway.
The payment from Ontario Gaming and Lottery was for the first quarter of 2008. To date, the township has received more than $7.9-million in non-tax gaming revenue. About 20% of that goes to Wellington County.
The slots opened in late 2003 and, to date, has attracted more than 2.8 million visitors.
OLG distributed more than $19.1-million so far in first quarter revenue to 23 municipalities that host OLG casinos and slots at racetracks.
Tracks and their horse groups also receive a share of the revenue - 20 per cent of the gross profits, divided evenly between the two groups.
In 2008-09, the province will allocate $110-million in gaming revenue to support charities and community groups through the Trillium Foundation grants. Funding to that foundation will increase to $120-million next year.
Centre Wellington has designated its share of the slots cash for infrastructure. Every $70,000 the township raises in property taxes represents one per cent of the tax levy.
