Casino profits could be the "hidden agenda" behind Government's proposed reform of the Corporation of Hamilton.
City Hall insiders believe the plan is simply an attempt to take over city government and absorb its powers and assets, which include a $500 million property portfolio. And with the publication of the Green Paper on Gaming, which recommends a casino in the heart of Hamilton, they believe they have found the motivation behind the plan.
"It is hard not to see the connection. I don't believe that this is a coincidence," said Timothy Marshall, a lawyer acting on behalf of the corporation.
"Right now, assuming that this is their undisclosed agenda, they would have to have buy-in from the corporation for any development of the waterfront. It seems they don't want that hurdle, if they can avoid it.
"If you want to be cynical about it, if Government wants all the revenue of any development on the waterfront then ridding themselves of the corporation would fit with that."
The Green Paper on Gaming, published on Friday, clearly highlights downtown Hamilton as the best location for a casino.
And it speculates that millions of dollars in annual profits could be generated from the project in terms of taxation and rental agreements.
No buy-in
Mr Marshall said it was legitimate to question whether the right to control that additional revenue was part of the Government's plan in its reform of the corporation. He said Government had not been clear about their motives, leaving themselves open to suspicion.
"We are in the unfortunate position that we do not know what Government's true agenda is with respect to their so-called reform plans. They have still not made their objectives clear and consequently they have no buy-in from the corporation and they have created only suspicion.
"The corporation and the public are now left to wonder, is this all about casinos?"
Cabinet Minister Walter Roban announced in January that Government was bringing in consultants to review the role of the corporations.
At the time he said the aim was to "produce a plan with specific recommendations describing the process, sequence and timelines for the absorption of municipal functions within specific ministries, departments and administrative entities of the Government of Bermuda".
The Government has refused to elaborate or explain its motivation in more detail until the report is published and responsibility for overseeing the process has since transferred to Zane DeSilva.
But the Corporation interprets the remit as a takeover attempt.
"Moving to repeal the Municipalities Act is a blatant attempt by some Government members to take over the City of Hamilton and snatch and grab its assets," said mayor Charles Gosling in a Bermuda Sun opinion column last week.
Mr Gosling was unable yesterday to comment on the gaming report.
