Gateway Casinos and Entertainment has its newest addition. And Canada has its newest casino.
After years of turmoil and delays, the operator is officially set to open its doors at Cascades Casino Delta in British Columbia on Sept. 29.
Originally, the $99.3 million establishment – projected to bring in $2.5 – $3 million to The City of Delta per year in new revenue — was set to open in 2020 before COVID-19 struck.
A 160,000 square-foot entertainment space, Marriot hotel and Gateway’s signature restaurants will be included in the Canada casino.
Considering the journey, the date makes for a special occasion said Gateway CEO Tony Santo via press release.
“Gateway is proud to invest over $99 million in Delta and bring up to 600 new employees to the community. Cascades Casino Delta will be a significant addition to the local economy and entertainment landscape of Delta.”
Gateway opens fourth Cascades casino in BC
Gateway owns 29 gaming properties across Canada, including Cascade casinos in Langley, Kamloops and Penticton. Overall, the company has 15 locations in BC.
To that end, the company seems to have figured out what works best out west. When it comes to Cascades Casino Delta, that includes a robust menu of gaming options.
Cascades Casino Delta’s gaming options
Here are some features gamblers can look forward to:
- 160,000 square feet of entertainment space
- 40,000 square-foot gaming area
- 500 slot machines
- 18 live table games
- Six electronic table games
Delta to feature Gateway’s “signature restaurants” and hotel
Dining options at the new location include The Buffet, Summit Bar and MATCH Eatery & Public House. The trio are part of Gateway’s “signature restaurants” and are included in its other BC Cascades locations.
A multi-season patio, live music and Bud Room – a Budweiser-branded bookable party space accompanied with a pool table and bar – are also available.
An attached five-story Delta by Marriot hotel accompanies the restaurants.
The hotel features:
- 124 rooms
- Luxurious day spa
- Resort-style outdoor pool
- Hot tub
- State-of-the-art fitness centre
- Parking spaces with spots for electric vehicles
City of Delta to receive some $2 million annually
Maria Szabo with BCLC media relations said the City of Delta will receive a 10 per cent share of the net gaming revenue generated by Cascades Casino Delta. That 10 per cent cut is estimated to amount to $2 million annually.
Despite the pending celebrations, The City of Delta endured a turbulent ride to get to this point.
In June 2016, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation asked local governments South of Fraser for expressions of interests in hosting the gambling facility.
The City of Delta obliged and received final approval in 2018. Of course, there were the usual dissenters within the local community against the project. The City of Richmond was the real kicker, though. According to them, crime, traffic and transportation concerns were enough grounds to file an official objection notice to BCLC.
The compliant triggered a non-binding dispute resolution process. Ultimately, however, the BCLC ruled in favour of The City of Delta, deeming Richmond did not have enough evidence to substantiate its claims.
Ironically, during this same time frame The City of Richmond was unknowingly home to the largest money-laundering ring in Canadian history.
Staff search continues with casino launch pending
Gateway said it continues its hiring process for the grand opening. The official ceremony happens at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 29 so they will have to get moving.
Top priorities remain the gaming floor and food and beverage teams.
Other positions include:
- Table game dealers
- Slot attendants
- Cashiers and count team members
- Security officers
- Chefs and cooks
- Servers and bartenders
- Hospitality staff
- Administration staff
Interested applicants can apply through Gateway’s official website.
Gateway currently employs roughly 7,000 people across Canada and features 334 table games (27 poker tables), 13,555 slots and more.
