Gateway’s plan to build a full-fledged entertainment resort stirred the pot once again. Members of the Town & Country Tennis Club are up in arms about the construction of a casino at the Town and Country Inn site. In a letter to the municipal hall, the tennis players asked the city to provide a facility for indoor racquet sports. The vexed sportsmen explained that Delta is the only city in the area, which does not offer such facility.
Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd. is currently dealing with yet another major blow in its attempt to build a C$70 million hotel/casino complex for Delta Town & Country Inn site in Ladner. As it can be recalled, last November, Canada’s largest gambling operator officially filed a rezoning application for a proposed new casino in Ladner.
The move came almost a year after the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) announced 3 preferred locations (including Ladner) for the construction of a casino. Since BCLC gave preliminary approval for the construction of a new gaming and entertainment complex in Ladner, Gateway Casinos and the City of Delta held a number public information meetings to gather public opinion on the matter.
Last Thursday, the company behind the casino proposal announced some minor design changes that include a new outdoor water feature and an improved lobby entrance. The rest of the project remains intact. The company’s proposal includes a modern casino that is to feature up to 600 slot machines and 24 gaming tables.
However, the number of games that Gateway will be allowed to accommodate in its casino still needs to be detailed. As for non-gambling facilities, Gateway is to build a five-storey hotel with 116 rooms, meeting facilities, restaurants, bars, and others. The proposed multi-million casino property is to occupy 10.8 acres of land at Delta Town & Country Inn.
Tennis Players Call for Indoor Racquet Sports Facility Construction
But it seems that the members of the Town & Country Tennis Club are reluctant to embrace the idea. This resulted in a hail of letters to the municipal hall. The members of the tennis club explained that Gateway’s plan does not include a replacement for the indoor and outdoor courts or a new indoor racquet sports facility. The call for Delta to provide an indoor racquet facility comes along with calls for new track facilities in North Delta and South Delta.
Last week, a meeting between Gateway, Delta representatives and members of the tennis club took place. Delta city manager Ken Kuntz commented that the tennis structure will be demolished in no time, supposing that the casino gets the final approval. To retain the tennis facility, it seems that Gateway and the City of Delta should work on a compromise.
