By Two & Out

PETERS: Thought of BCLC leaving Kamloops has always been pure paranoia — until this week

Jan 18, 2019 | 10:07 AM

THE CONCERNS ABOUT BC Lottery Corporation moving from Kamloops to the pseudo-headquarters in Richmond were always more about paranoia than anything resembling a real threat.

The effort and expense required to move a major corporation’s headquarters like this are prohibitive, unless the move results in massive financial advantages.

That didn’t seem like it would be the case for BCLC, which by all appearances is an otherwise successful operation.

Even so, the issue would come up in the local media every six months or so and the CEO or the government would shoot it down.

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But this week’s news that the planned new building is being scrapped is perhaps the first time there is something more than rumour to the idea of BCLC skipping town.

For three years now, the Lotto Corporation has talked about the need to move out of the half-century old former Woodward’s department store on West Seymour.

It bought the property on the same block to the west, and all signs pointed to an expansion or new build on that lot.

It even began pre-qualifying companies for a Request for Proposal process.

To put the brakes on it now is pretty far along, and points to a fairly major case of cold feet.

In a news release, BCLC said a third party report acknowledged that there will be employment growth at the local headquarters.

Recent estimates showed the corporation would need to accomodate 250 more employees in coming years.

However, the report said more work needs to be put into projecting what that growth will look like, and recommends staying in the current building in the mean time.

This all smells a little strange.

Will BCLC really shoehorn its potentially 250 new employees into the 50-year-old former department store?

CEO Jim Lightbody issued very strong assurances this week that the HQ will never leave Kamloops.

We’ve heard it before and we’ve always believed it.

But this week’s news has certainly sowed some seeds of doubt.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.