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Condo developer Thomas Liu — who collected millions but hasn’t built anything — loses court fight with Town of Ajax

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Embattled condo developer Thomas Liu of the LeMine Investment Group suffered another setback Friday when a Superior Court judge ruled against him in his legal battle with the Town of Ajax.

Justice Anne Mullins found the town was entitled to repurchase the land it had transferred to Liu’s company because he failed to begin construction of his proposed development by July 15, 2017, as spelled out in their agreement.

Thomas Liu, head of LeMine Investment Group, is a developer who dreams big but can’t seem to get anything built. He admits his lack of experience has led to some mistakes, but he says his intentions were always noble.
Thomas Liu, head of LeMine Investment Group, is a developer who dreams big but can’t seem to get anything built. He admits his lack of experience has led to some mistakes, but he says his intentions were always noble.  (Lemine Group/YouTube)

The land was slated to be the location of Central Park Ajax, a 410-unit condo project that opened to a frenzied sellout in the spring of 2016. The condo tower was supposed to usher in the revitalization of downtown.

Liu said Friday he plans to appeal the decision. “It appears to be errors of law,” he wrote in an email.

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This condo developer collected millions in deposits — and hasn’t built anything

Liu and his company were the subject of a Star investigation published online Thursday that found the 35-year-old’s ambitious ideas outstripped his abilities, that he relied on slick marketing to project credibility despite his lack of experience, and that he has failed to deliver high-profile projects. Liu, who is embroiled in 14 different lawsuits, is also the developer of The Academy, a Scarborough condo project that sold out in 2014 and has yet to break ground. Liu said that development is “stuck,” but it is not cancelled.

Twelve condo projects — with a combined 5,625 units — have been canceled in the Toronto area since the beginning of last year, according to market research company Urbanation. Barring a successful appeal from Liu, Central Park Ajax will join that list. The spate of high-profile cancellations — including two major projects in Vaughan in the last six months — have sparked concern over whether there are sufficient protections for buyers, many of whom are priced out of the market by the time their deposits are returned.

On Thursday, the CEO of Ontario’s home warranty program told the Star it’s time the province looks at upgrading protections and transparency for pre-construction homebuyers.

In the case of Central Park Ajax, some purchasers have already pulled out, paying $423.75 in lawyer fees to get back their deposits, which have not accrued interest. Some of those who have yet to ask for their money back had told the Star they were waiting for the outcome of the court case before making a decision.

“I’m ready to get my money back now,” said Ayesha Karatella, 29 after hearing of Friday’s ruling. “I won’t be waiting around for an appeal.”

Karatella purchased a two-bedroom unit in Central Park Ajax for $336,000 and paid more than $33,000 in deposits. It would have been her first home. She said she “kind of expected” Friday’s decision, but was still disappointed and frustrated by the experience.

Documents obtained through Freedom of Information requests show there were major problems with the development almost as soon as Liu and his company took it over. Liu struggled to secure financing, failed to pay tradespeople, defaulted on the property’s mortgage and let the sales centre fall into disrepair, according to internal staff emails, letters from town lawyers and property records.

Liu sued the town earlier this year for $300 million claiming they did not have the right to repurchase the land and had breached their contract. He alleged the July 15, 2017 deadline was negated because the town had neither accepted nor rejected his revised site plan submission to increase the project from 10 to 12 storeys. The town said Liu never submitted a complete application. Justice Mullins agreed.

While the town’s planners provided comments to Liu about the material he submitted, Justice Mullins wrote, they also made clear what required materials were outstanding. Specifically Liu did not submit “fully realized” roofing plans, a traffic study, as well as environmental approvals.

She also said it was clear Liu was fully aware of the deadline to begin construction. All of the evidence, Mullins wrote, points to “a mutual interpretation” between the two sides that construction was supposed to begin no later than July 15, 2017.

“The Town is pleased with the decision and can now move forward pursuing the revitalization of the Ajax Plaza site,” town spokeswoman Rachael Wraith said in a written statement.

Brendan Kennedy is a Toronto-based investigative reporter. Contact him at bkennedy@thestar.ca or 416-869-4192. Follow him on Twitter: @BKennedyStar

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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