Opponents of a proposed in South Surrey outnumbered supporters by a 20:1 ratio at a Sunday afternoon public forum at the Semiahmoo Fish and Game Club.

About 80 people attended the event organized by Susan Keeping, the BC NDP candidate for the election next spring.

When one questioner asked how many casino supporters were in the audience, only four raised their hands.

One of them was Cliff Annable, the executive director of the South Surrey and White Rock Chamber of Commerce.

Annable said the local business community is 鈥渢otally supportive鈥� of the proposed $100-million casino, hotel and convention centre complex at 10 Avenue and 168 Street.

Annable said that among other benefits, the facility would give local sporting and charitable groups a place to accommodate large turnouts for fundraisers, instead of having them go outside of the area.

鈥淲e could all use a bigger venue,鈥� Annable said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e currently not available.鈥�

Annable鈥檚 was a minority view.

Most speakers were like local resident Martin Cooper, who predicted the project would ruin the character of the area.

鈥淲hy are you intent on destroying our rural community of South Surrey?鈥� he demanded.

The question was directed at two representatives of the company hoping to build the casino, who both spoke at the event.

Gateway Casinos and Entertainment community liaison Tanya Gabara described the proposed complex as a 鈥渨orld-class鈥� facility more than once during her presentation. She said Surrey has a 鈥渟orely underserved鈥� gaming and entertainment market.

Gateway general counsel James Chen defended the project as a boost to the local economy that will bring jobs and other long-term benefits.

鈥淲e create jobs and we pay taxes,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd we pay taxes to all three levels of government.鈥�

According to Gateway and BC Lottery Corporation  projections, the complex could produce $6 million in revenues annually for Surrey alone.

Preliminary designs call for a landscaped complex that includes a 60,000-sq.-ft. gaming floor, an 800-seat theatre, a 27,000-sq.-ft. convention and entertainment zone, a 200-room, four-star hotel, four restaurants and three lounges.

The $100-million facility would occupy 18 acres of a 25-acre parcel at 10 Avenue and 168 Street.

BCLC has suggested the complex, if approved by the city, could be open as soon as late 2014.

At the Sunday forum, several critics said the impact of the project on local residents has not been properly assessed.

Grant Laporte said he isn鈥檛 looking forward to spending his retirement next to 鈥�24 hours of glitz and lights and traffic and noise.鈥�

Terry McNeice, of the South Surrey Ratepayers Association, said residents were kept in the dark about the plans until recently.

鈥淭here has been no transparency, no communication,鈥� McNeice said. 鈥淲e are at the 11th hour. It鈥檚 criminal.鈥�

Chen disputed this, saying the company has done everything it can to let people know.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not trying to hide anything from anybody,鈥� Chen said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to be as transparent as possible.鈥�

In response to a questioner who worried about increased crime, Chen said statistics from other Gateway casinos show police activity is, if anything, low.

While the back and forth continued, volunteers listed the arguments on large sheets of paper taped to the wall behind the podium. By the end of the two-hour meeting, there were 2陆 pages of 鈥減ro鈥� arguments and eight pages of 鈥渃on.鈥�

Keeping will hold another forum on Wednesday morning, 7:30-8:30 a.m. at the ABC Restaurant, 2160 King George Blvd.

Gateway will hold its own information meeting Wednesday, 6-9 p.m. at Hazelmere Golf and Tennis Club, 18150 8 Ave.