Casino Niagara 
Niagara Prospers

Date:
January 9th, 1997

As far as many Niagara merchants are concerned, Casino Niagara was more
popular than Santa Claus this Christmas season.

Mary Ann Scozzafava, vice president and general manager of Niagara Falls
Sheraton Inn, credits the casino with a 60 per cent increase in revenues this
December over the same time last year.

"Our convention bookings have increased since the opening of the casino.
People who normally go to Toronto now want to come to Niagara because of
the casino."

Scozzafava said the hotel has increased its workforce by five per cent as a
result of the increased business.

"After Thanksgiving were usually forced to lay off workers until tourism picks
up again in April or May. Thanks to increased traffic from the casino were hiring not laying off staff."

Casino Niagara, which opened to the public Dec. 9, 1996, is expected to create a total of 9,000 direct and indirect jobs throughout the province of Ontario 6,000 of which will be in the Niagara Region.

Using conservative estimates, economic analysts forecast Niagara residents
employed directly and indirectly through the casino will spend $28 million on
housing and furniture, $4.7 million on entertainment and $5.5 million in local
restaurants and bars in their community.

To date, the casino has awarded close to $12 million in business throughout
the Niagara Region.

Sandy Casey, general manager of the Niagara Transit Commission, said he has hired more than 20 full-time employees since the company was awarded the shuttle contract for casino associates.

Casey said the company, which also offers a garage service for out-of-town
buses, is optimistic the additional tour buses coming to the city will also have a positive effect on the commissions business.

"If it goes the way were expecting it to, we could be expanding that facility in the future and hiring even more people."

Kevin McGann, co-owner of Mama Leones restaurant in Niagara Falls, said his
weekend business has been booming since the casino opened last month.

"Were back up to summertime levels. My wife Vanda spends a lot of time in the front of the restaurant with the customers and she’s hearing that most of the people are talking about having been at the casino or going to the casino."

McGann said he expects to hire additional staff in the summer.

Terry Tykolis, owner of Stevensville Lawn Service in Greater Fort Erie, says the casino has also increased his business.

Tykolis was awarded a $1.6 million contract to reconstruct the corner of
Bender Hill and Victoria Avenue in preparation for the casinos opening.

While the contract was a one-time deal, Tykolis said it was high profile and thereby provided his company with the opportunity to reach new markets.

John Bosela, president of Kaumeyer Paper Ltd. in Thorold, Ont., said he has
already hired several part-time employees and plans to increase his full-time
staff complement in the spring.

Bosela said his company, which is one of the casinos paper suppliers, has
also picked up spin-off business from hotels and restaurants in the area.

"Our business usually decreases from late September to March, but this year I had to hire additional staff."

The tourism industry is also experiencing an increase in visitors as a result of
Casino Niagara.

Ron Yorke, chairman of the Niagara Falls Canada Visitor and Convention
Bureau, said walk-in inquiry's for December were 22 per cent higher compared
to the same time last year while phone inquiry’s jumped by 104 per cent.

"We’ve also heard from some businesses that this has been a very strong
December," Yorke said.

Business has also been strong for the casino itself, exceeding projected daily
attendance. The Ontario Casino Corporation will release attendance and
revenue figures tomorrow, Jan. 10.