The proposed hotel and casino complex in Delta, British Columbia, will most probably be reviewed this month by the city council. Councillors will need to grant a preliminary approval before the project for a CA$70 million facility planned by Gateway Casinos and Entertainment can proceed.
The Delta City Council has three regular meetings scheduled for April and it is expected to discuss the rezoning application for a casino during one of them. Last September, Canadian gambling company Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd. announced that it had received approval by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) for the relocation of the Newton Community Gaming Centre in Surrey to the current site of the Delta Town and Country Inn. If the project is given the green light by the City Council, the old hotel will be demolished this summer and construction work for the casino and entertainment complex should start by the fall.
Gateway has filed a rezoning application for the property at 6005 Highway 17A which aims at changing the status of the land from C3 Commercial Tourist zone to a comprehensive development zone. If approved, the rezoning would allow the construction of an entertainment complex with a hotel, casino, multiple restaurants and meeting facilities. The company has already organized several public information meetings regarding the application, followed by several meetings hosted by the City of Delta in February. Gateway even introduced a dedicated website where residents can look for information, check for updates and leave their feedback.
According to the company, the local community has been engaged in the process very actively, but there are no opinions posted on the online forum set by Gateway. City officials, in the meantime, have been supportive of the casino project although the final decision for the plan has yet to be made. The casino investment of around $70 million is expected to create around 700 jobs and boost the local economy, the private developer claims.
The $70 Million Gateway Casinos Delta
If the rezoning application receives approval, the project will proceed with applying for further permits from the province and the municipality. Construction work should then start by the end of the year and a grand opening is planned for 2020. Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Limited has said that the proposed casino would bring an estimated $70 million investment to the Delta economy, as well as up to well-paid 700 new jobs in the area. Moreover, the planned complex would result in 500 person-years of construction employment.
The proposed Gateway Casinos Delta will be built at the current location of Delta Town & Country Inn and will sit on approximately 11 acres. It will include around 70,000 square feet of entertainment space, with a gaming floor hosting up to 600 slot machines (probably around 500), 24 gaming tables, as well as several e-tables. The comprehensive entertainment complex will also feature a 5-storey hotel with 116 rooms, multiple food and beverage outlets, including Gateway’s signature casino and restaurant brands, and meeting space.
According to data from Gateway’s Delta Project Brochure, the new casino will increase employment in the hospitality industry in the area and greatly boost tourist numbers. Among the economic benefits for the City of Delta is an annual revenue share of $1.5 million to $3 million, which will be given to the local government, as well as $25 million in estimated annual payroll.
