Onex CEO Gerry Schwartz Keen to Invest in OLG’s Toronto Casino
Gerry Schwartz and TV personality Valerie Pringle. Image: Flickr
Though Toronto’s city council seems lukewarm on OLG’s proposals to build a casino downtown, Onex Corp. CEO Gerry Schwartz, is “enthusiastic” about the gaming opportunity.
Schwartz already has experience in the hospitality and gaming industry, as the owner of the Tropicana hotel and casino in Las Vegas, partnering with the then-leader of the MGM Grand. This side of the border, Onex owns Casino ABS, which runs and operates four casinos in Alberta, including Edmonton and Calgary. Schwartz told the Globe and Mail that he would be interested in adding another site to his Canadian roster, saying, “It’s a growth market.”
While a partnering interest has been expressed on behalf of one of the country’s most prominent businessmen, because OLG has yet to determine which site they are interested in developing, Schwartz says it is “way too early” to determine exactly what type of involvement Onex will have in the venture.
A Mid-air Collision in Saskatchewan, Killing Five
Two small planes collided mid-air over Saskatchewan, killing five people on Saturday, leaving two rural Albertan families in mourning.
The crash took place near St. Brieux, Sask., just northeast of Saskatoon. Regional manager of the Transportation Safety Board, Peter Hildebrand, said the incident was extremely rare, especially considering its location in the Prairies, where air traffic is much more sparse than in the rest of the country.
Hildebrand said the crash could be attributed to poor radar coverage, or a low signal, creating a poor imaging of the other planes in the surrounding area, altering the flight plans of both parties in a tragic way.
The Avengers Breaks More Box Office Records
Just a week after its $207.4-million record-breaking opening weekend, The Avengers continues to shatter expectations, raking in an extra $103.2-million in its second weekend at the box office.
The Avengers made more on its second weekend than any other film in history, beating the record set by the $75.6-million take of Avatar, the all-time box office champion. In just 19 days of release, the Marvel comic ensemble flick has earned $1-billion in global ticket sales, joining the $1-billion club – a title earned by only 11 other films, including Titanic, The Dark Knight, and of course, Avatar.
Your move, The Dark Knight Rises.
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Joanna Adams is the online and social media editor for Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at†@nowstarringTO.
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