Olympians at super casino launch

[Bob]

This is what we want to achieve for Margate. A small Sports Village with a Casino. The development in Cardiff is expected to attract 3.5 Million visitors per year and create over 5000 jobs. A similar facility in Margate but on a smaller scale will be a real asset to Margate create high quality much needed year round employment opportunties. It will also provide first class facilties for use by the local schools and colleges as well as provided specific faciliies for the disabled. A small section of the site will be retained for the Scenic Railway and a small fairground. NIck is already supporting a similar Casino development in Blackpool.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4760832.stm

[DaveD]

You may have noticed that there is a Casino based in Cliftonville and many sporting facilities while not necessarily central to the town of Margate itself, are certainly within easy reach via excellent transport links.

The seafront is virtually completely occupied by Amusement Arcades which, in recent years due to the explosion in Home Entertainment Systems, now house around 85% fruit machines and approx 15% video games so in many ways Margate is already partly a Mecca to the hardy gambler.

If there is indeed any truth in this statement, then we are being offered nothing new in terms of what is avaliable already. I agree this kind of development is sorely needed in some areas of the country, particulary in the north but this offers the town nothing new in terms of facilities that are already there.

If our worst fears are realised and there is no future for Dreamland then at the very, very, very least, the focus should be on something unique that will bring people into the area.

[Neil]

If our worst fears are realised and there is no future for Dreamland then at the very, very, very least, the focus should be on something unique that will bring people into the area.

Here here. Let's just hope the people the development brings into the area aren't those with serious gambling adictions as those aren't necessarily the kind of people Margate needs.

[Scotchie]

I stand to be corrected, but isn't there also a plan to have a large casino/bingo at Westwood Cross ??

[Zoidstar]

Sorry bob but I just cant srr a regionalcasino or a super casino doing much for margate.

its not a large casino margate needs its a theme park if we cant have the full dreamland site than yes sell of part of it but only to a developer that will put in a famialy orentated lesure facility,

howabout a roller skating park, with an ice skating rink and bowling alley, and possibly to help pay for it a nightclub/bar with a small casino on the floor above and on top of them a few flats.

[Nick]

NIck is already supporting a similar Casino development in Blackpool.

No, the development at Blackpool is proposed on a huge, largely disused, site behind the seafront. And it will not replace the Pleasure Beach (or the Tower!); it will be an additional attraction. We should not be throwing away the good things about Margate - that is far too risky. We should be adding to them.

Nick

[DaveD]

Spot on Nick.

The Council based in Blackpool seem to realise that it makes a great deal of sense to utilise largely disused sites and other areas of the town sorely in need of regeneration.

Margate has an absolute wealth of disused sites and empty shops and businesses - it wouldn't take a great deal to incorporate these ideas into other parts of the town. TDC seems to focus all it's attentions on the site that has been used as a successful Theme Park for generations and doesn't take into account that it is the inner town itself that would benefit most from something like this. It is completely unnecessary to even consider such a move when so much is laid waste already.

Replace and renovate the "ghost town" of Margate, incorporate these ideas and you'll be adding something to the town; bringing in extra tourism. Redevelop the Dreamland site and quite simply, you'll lose that tourism and the tourism necessary to support such an idea.


Dave D

[Bob]

Spot on Nick.

The Council based in Blackpool seem to realise that it makes a great deal of sense to utilise largely disused sites and other areas of the town sorely in need of regeneration.

Margate has an absolute wealth of disused sites and empty shops and businesses - it wouldn't take a great deal to incorporate these ideas into other parts of the town. TDC seems to focus all it's attentions on the site that has been used as a successful Theme Park for generations and doesn't take into account that it is the inner town itself that would benefit most from something like this. It is completely unnecessary to even consider such a move when so much is laid waste already.

Replace and renovate the "ghost town" of Margate, incorporate these ideas and you'll be adding something to the town; bringing in extra tourism. Redevelop the Dreamland site and quite simply, you'll lose that tourism and the tourism necessary to support such an idea.


Dave D

I could not agree with you more. The centre of Margate is crying out for redevelopment. A small casino on the old disused Dreamland site would just the sort of thing needed to revieve he flaagging tourist industry in Margate. Margate needs to move forward and not stay rooted in its past. The age of the tradditional seaside holiday has long gone. We need to target a new market with new modern facilities such as a modern leisure centre & pool. I think Nick has already highlighted in the case of Blackpool how this will draw in new tourists.

[porf]

Bob,

(Ignoring your deliberate attempts at misinterpreting other members of the forum)

Margate already has a small casino, it doesn't really seem to have turned the place around though!

Do you think 2 small casinos would be any bigger draw than the current one?

[Nick]

We need to target a new market with new modern facilities such as a modern leisure centre & pool. I think Nick has already highlighted in the case of Blackpool how this will draw in new tourists.

Have I? There is also a leisue centre/swimming pool complex in Blackpool, called the Sandcastle. It has been a very big drain on taxpayers money for many years - in fact, it has been the single biggest drain over a number of years. Its financial viability has improved over the past few years, but these sorts of attractions are of marginal viability to say the least. Swimming pools/water parks and ice arenas should be avoided at all costs unless you are prepared for there to be significant council subsidy.

Nick

[Gary]

Oh Bob...Come on man..give us a break..

Look.. this new tactic of quoting people (who just happen to be central to the campaign) out of context can't and won't win you friends.. anywhere..

Particularly when both Mr Hairy Vince and I can quote you from a post on the seaside section of these hallowed forums:

At least Clacton seems to have escaped the seed rundown image that Margate has. I just hope that Dreamland survives, the closing down of Butlins was the final nail in the coffin for Clactons tourist industry. To put houses on the site was incredibly short sighted.

..Well you said it..

[Neil]

Swimming pools/water parks and ice arenas should be avoided at all costs unless you are prepared for there to be significant council subsidy.

Nick

No, because Waterbridge aren't redevloping the site to make money, but as a charitable gesture for the good burgers of Margate so obviously they won't care if they lose lots of money doing so.

To be honest I really think Bob is losing it, particularly as Toby Hunter recently told us:

...nor have we formed any plans to build specific-use types, i.e. shops, residential, etc.

The two examples he mentioned aren't even leisure related, never mind tourist attractions. Since these seem to be the two most profitable developments it looks like we have to either stick up for maintaining the entire site as an amusment park or accept it will become a supermarket, flats and some cheap casino if we're lucky.

It does seem that today we are innundated with chances to gamble.
It's not just video arcades but a lot of pubs and chips shops, Chinese etc have them too.
Then there's all these lotteries. Sure, raffles are a tradtitional way or fund raising money and the National lotterey has been around for ages, but now there seem to be a growing number of commercial raffles and what have you.
Then there's all the betting shops, still essentially gambling.
There are adverts all around the underground and a lot of sporting stadiums for these online casinos.

There is so much gambling everywhere we don't need more. We certainly don't need a big casino overlooking a childrens funfair that guarentees the next generation are gambling addicts. Come on Bob. You aren't entizing us to give up Dreamland without a fight.

[DaveD]

Spot on Nick.

The Council based in Blackpool seem to realise that it makes a great deal of sense to utilise largely disused sites and other areas of the town sorely in need of regeneration.

Margate has an absolute wealth of disused sites and empty shops and businesses - it wouldn't take a great deal to incorporate these ideas into other parts of the town. TDC seems to focus all it's attentions on the site that has been used as a successful Theme Park for generations and doesn't take into account that it is the inner town itself that would benefit most from something like this. It is completely unnecessary to even consider such a move when so much is laid waste already.

Replace and renovate the "ghost town" of Margate, incorporate these ideas and you'll be adding something to the town; bringing in extra tourism. Redevelop the Dreamland site and quite simply, you'll lose that tourism and the tourism necessary to support such an idea.


Dave D

I could not agree with you more. The centre of Margate is crying out for redevelopment. A small casino on the old disused Dreamland site would just the sort of thing needed to revieve he flaagging tourist industry in Margate. Margate needs to move forward and not stay rooted in its past. The age of the tradditional seaside holiday has long gone. We need to target a new market with new modern facilities such as a modern leisure centre & pool. I think Nick has already highlighted in the case of Blackpool how this will draw in new tourists.

I do agree with your comments to a certain extent but as I said, for possible locations for some or all of these facilities, Margate is spoilt for choice.

There will always be a certain amount of tourists that like and enjoy the traditional aspects of a Seaside Resort and they need to be catered for, of that there is no doubt. Brighton is a perfect example with it's traditional Seafront and Pier, brilliantly combining a modern approach with it's thriving and lively town and it's continental style of restaurants and bars.
People have moved away generally speaking from holidaying at British Coastal Resorts, of that there is little doubt as you say but they certainly do stay at Brighton in very large numbers; how many new or completely renovated hotels have been built in the past ten years at any resort around the country such as what Brighton has?

If there was a nationwide poll conducted to ask people to name ten Seaside Resorts in the UK, Margate would undoubtedly feature prominently. In 20 years time with a Nationally-Renowned Theme Park, a Super-Casino and leisure facilities as mentioned here, plus a real focus on the town with quality restaurants and coffee bars, it would still be there and possibly have an even greater status than it has already.

In 20 years time, with no major tourist attraction, a Super-Casino and Leisure Gym in a run-down town, Margate will have dropped out of that Top Ten - of that I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever.

Dave D

[Chris H]

I think the fact is that the Dreamland site is perfect for theme park in Margate and should remain a 100% just that.

But the dreamland site is not very large compared to the likes of thorpe park, therefore casinos, supermarkets, novelty shops are out of the question.

What Bob needs to get in to his thick head is:

Dreamland site-100% amusement park or no amusement park at all taking the option of a number of facilities is

OUT OF THE QUESTION !!!