Vancouver Sun – The City of Richmond has received an unexpected $5-million windfall from River Rock Casino, which continued its winning streak last year as B.C.’s top gambling and entertainment destination.

Richmond had budgeted to receive $12.4 million in gambling revenue last year, but instead took in a record $17.6 million — up 13.1 per cent over 2012.

Casinos are required to give cities in which they operate 10 per cent of net gambling revenue. River Rock has consistently paid out more to local municipalities than any other casino in B.C.

Since 1999, Richmond has received $136.7 million in gambling revenue, according to the provincial government, exceeding payouts from all the other large casinos in Metro Vancouver, including Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby, Edgewater Casino in Vancouver and the former Boulevard Casino — now Hard Rock Casino Vancouver — in Coquitlam.

“It’s always been a strong performer, a flagship for us,” Kiran Rao, chief financial officer for Great Canadian Gaming, said of River Rock.

It has also been a boon to the City of Richmond, which earmarks its gambling revenue for capital projects, upgrades, community grants and extra policing. About $50 million in gaming funds has been committed toward the $178-million Richmond oval, while the latest injection is earmarked for an aquatic centre and seniors’ facility.

Any surplus money will be placed in a reserve fund, spokesman Ted Townsend said. That fund is not used to cover operating expenses because it is too unpredictable and can be affected by a downturn in the economy.

The city had $7.6 million in its surplus fund at the end of 2012.

“We’re very conservative in our budget. We don’t know (how much money is coming) until we get the cheque from the province,” Townsend said. “Obviously, this ($17.6 million) is up significantly from previous years. It’s a good news story for the community in that we will be able to put it to good use.”