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Continuing the controversy from the beginning of 2024: Closure of part of Ontario Place angers advocates opposed to massive spa redevelopment.

The closure of Ontario Place's West Island for a massive spa redevelopment has sparked anger among advocates opposing the project. The grassroots organization, "Ontario Place for All," criticizes the Doug Ford government for a lack of notice and a "careless disregard" for the waterfront property. While the province is determined to proceed with redevelopment plans, the opposition continues its legal fight, calling for the immediate reopening of West Island, emphasizing the need for environmental assessments and preservation of the cultural heritage site. Legislative actions exempting the project from assessments are viewed as undemocratic. The Infrastructure Minister's spokesperson cites safety reasons for the closures, but advocates remain committed to their fight against the redevelopment.

In a statement on Tuesday, Ontario Place for All, a grassroots organization, condemned what it called the sudden closure of West Island, saying the Doug Ford government is showing "careless disregard" for the waterfront property.

"We're very disappointed," Norm Di Pasquale, co-chair of Ontario Place for All, told CBC Toronto. "It's all completely unexpected with handwritten notice. It took us announcing it to the world, instead of the Ontario government, to announce that the West Island was actually closed. It's the usual lack of care that we are seeing from this government."

The provincial government, meanwhile, says it is proceeding with its plans to redevelop Ontario Place. As part of a "new deal" with the city, the city says it will accept the province's legislative authority to redevelop Ontario Place, while the province says it will obtain the land it needs for its plans, which include a large waterpark and spa that will be built by the Austria-based company Therme.

The deal also means the province will take over two highways, the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway.

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-place-for-all-closure-west-island-ontario-place-1.7078776

2024 expectations updates:

Morecambe is changing. And more is coming in 2024 as the seaside town prepares for the arrival of the Eden Project.

Business and locals hope 2024 will be a key period for regeneration in the bay. There are hopes that construction work at the seafront location will start in 2024 and different parts of the scheme will be finalised and approved.

Currently, considerations include updated construction costs, private investment, public subsidy and partnerships between Eden and organisations such as lancaster-city-council>Lancaster City Council and Lancaster University.

Updates and scrutiny of some details are currently under-way by different organisations. These include the Eden Project reviewing some aspects of its proposed buildings and construction costs; and a government competition authority checking the planned transfer of city council-owned seafront land to the Eden Project. Feedback on that is expected in January 2024.

Updated numbers about new jobs provided on a market and land transfer from the city council:

The city council has submitted details to the Competition and Markets Authority's Subsidy Advice Unit about its proposals and transfer of land valued at £900,000 to the Eden Project as its contribution.

Future jobs, business and supplier opportunities, tourism, education, training, science and research opportunities are among the forecasted benefits of the Eden Project, backers say. The scheme is expected to generate 274 jobs directly and create a further 1,083 jobs in the wider economy through tourism and visitors' spending.

Source: https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/eden-project-morecambe-latest-seaside-28370260

New numbers:

This integrated resort, located on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay, is set to become one of the most luxurious and profitable casino resorts ever built.

MGM Resorts, alongside Orix Corporation, spearheads a consortium comprising 20 other Japanese entities, including industry giants like Panasonic, Kansai Electric, and West Japan Railway. The resort will feature 2,500 rooms across two hotel towers, catering to a wide range of visitors, including VIP and super luxury clientele.

The resort will encompass a sprawling area, offering diverse amenities such as 13,000 square meters of meeting space, and 20,000 square meters of exhibition space. Notably, the resort will house a unique tourist-sending facility, acting as a large-scale tourism concierge to promote travel to other parts of Japan, including Kyoto, Nara, and the greater Kansai area.

The resort anticipates an 80% domestic and 20% inbound visitor mix, capitalizing on the 20 million people residing in Osaka, known for their high-capacity spending habits. There will be a charge of 6,000 yen per entry for Japanese, limited to 10 times a month.

MGM Resorts’ experience in Macau, its first resort in Asia, has provided valuable insights for the development of the Osaka resort. Macau’s focus on gaming, where it contributes 90% of total revenues, differs significantly from the multifaceted offerings planned for Osaka. The Osaka resort aims to strike a balance between gaming and non-gaming components, appealing to a wider audience. Additionally, Japanese regulators will not permit junkets so the resort will foster direct relationships with customers, moving away from the traditional junket business prevalent in Macau.

Source: https://www.webintravel.com/the-story-behind-mgm-resorts-ambitious-10billion-integrated-project-in-tokyo/