For a second time in five years, people in Brandon, Man., have voted against allowing a casino in the city.
Forty per cent of eligible voters cast ballots in Wednesday's plebiscite; of those, 57 per cent voted against allowing a casino in the city.
Mayor Dave Burgess told CBC News the results didn't surprise him.
"It was fairly much what I was expecting, and it was very close to what the result was in 2002," he said. In a plebiscite that year, 55 per cent of voters said they did not want a casino in the community, while 64 per cent rejected a casino on an urban reserve.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, which was working with the Manitoba government on the casino plan, didn't promote the casino or answer questions from the public, Burgess said, which may have contributed to residents' rejection of the proposal.
AMC spokesman Dennis Meeches admits the group didn't promote the casino; a decision was made to let Brandon handle the promotion.
"I'm not disappointed," he said. "In a way, I was hoping the city would have voted in favour, but it's not the end of the world."
The group's gaming committee is meeting Friday to discuss four alternative locations for a casino in the western Manitoba region.
Brandon city council votes on the proposal on Monday, but Burgess says it's safe to say councillors won't support it.
